Balinese landscape and farmwork painting

This Balinese painting from the village of Ubud shows traditional themes of rice farmers in a lush tropical landscape. In a terraced vista of blue ponds and light green plants, three men work the land as a bare-breasted young woman passes by carrying a basket on her head.By the 1930s, European painters were drawn to travel to Bali, taking inspiration from the exquisite scenery and beautiful people. Balinese were quick to learn the foreign techniques of painting oil and acrylic pigments on canvas cloth. Although many foreign artists are still attracted to Bali, it is now Balinese painters themselves who are the major producers of a wide variety of painting styles from sentimental and traditional to very sophisticated, contemporary themes.