Women Pounding Rice ~ Year 1853
Two women pounding rice in a large mortar and pestle. The pounding of rice or “menumbuk padi,” was an important task that was typically carried out by women. Rice holds a central place in Indonesian culture, it shapes the Indonesian landscapes and is served in most meals both as a savoury and a sweet food. Evidence of wild rice on the island of Sulawesi dates from 3000 BC. Early evidence of its cultivation comes from 8th century stone inscriptions from the island of Java, which shows kings levied taxes on rice.
Originally published in the year 1853 as a series of hand-finished antique lithograph prints by Auguste van Pers, made after drawings by the French artist, Ernest Hardouin. Auguste van Pers arrived in Indonesia early in 1837 and was employed as an engraver and draughtsman in the General Secretariat at Buitenzorg, known today as Bogor. Ernest Hardouin arrived in Indonesia in 1842 as a decor designer with a French theatrical troupe. In Batavia (modern day Jakarta) Hardouin made numerous sketches and drawings of the city and its inhabitants.
The series was announced as being in preparation in 1844, when some proof plates were printed but the work did not proceed. It was in the year 1853 that the Dutch printing publisher W.C. Mieling picked up the project again and the series came out in sets of 4 lithographs at a time.As originally projected, the complete work would contain 80 plates, a figure that was never reached, and 56 prints are known to exist. Hardouin did not live to see the work published - he died in poverty in Batavia in 1853 or 1854.
Up until the 19th century, just before the invention of photography, the only way to show what people, landscapes and objects looked like was by painting, sketching or printing them. In the Netherlands many prints were published of their far east colonies, or nowadays, Indonesia.
Size 37 by 28 cm.
Quality Recycled Art Paper
Mounted with Thick Art Cardboard
Description on the Back
Transparent Protection Wrapper
Ready for Framing
Our mounted art prints are printed on recycled uncoated speckled art paper.