ARIE SMIT (b. 1916)

Flowers is a rare work from Smit's career, presenting a close study of the local flora found in Bali, and showing the tropical hibiscus flower at different stages of its bloom. The present lot is precisely executed from the delicate rendering of the petals and surrounding foliage, to the sophisticated blending of blues, purples, and white in the background. The use of soft pastel tones distinguishes this work from the usually bright and lively colours of the artist's brush, while the subtle pointillist technique used in the background situates the work alongside the style of the European impressionists.