Balinese art

Pita  Maha Foundation

In 1936 the prince of Ubud, Rudolf Bonnet, Walter Spies and several Balinese artists, including I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, established an artist’s society called the Pita Maha Foundation. Objective of this association was to support Balinese artists in maintaining a high artistic standard through discussions of their work and promotion through exhibitions outside Bali. The foundation ended when the Japanese invaded Bali in 1942.

The Puri Lukisan Museum

After the war Rudolf Bonnet and the Prince of Ubud, Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, developed plans to establish a museum of fine art. A ‘Palace of the Arts’ on the island would boost local awareness of Balinese art.  First they established a new foundation in 1953, the Yayasan Ratna Warta, to support the establishment of the museum in Ubud. Bonnet designed the building in Balinese style, which was constructed from local materials.

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