Arie Smit, Flute Playing Temple, 2001
Oil on canvas
38 x 58 cm (visible), 63 x 83 x 1 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good
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Arie Smit (Indonesian, 1916-2016) was a Dutch-born painter who became a defining figure in Indonesian art, particularly through his long residence in Bali. Born in Zaandam in the Netherlands, he studied graphic design at the Academy of Arts in Rotterdam before being posted to the Dutch East Indies in 1938 as part of his military service. His early experiences in the region, including work as a lithographer and his later imprisonment by Japanese forces during World War II, deepened his connection to the archipelago. After Indonesian independence, Smit chose to make Indonesia his home and became an Indonesian citizen in 1951. He also taught graphics and lithography at the Bandung Institute of Technology in West Java before moving to Bali in 1956, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.
In Bali, Smit’s artistic vision blossomed in response to the island’s tropical light, landscape and culture. His vibrant paintings are noted for their bold use of colour, rhythmic compositions and what he described as “broken colours,” a technique that layers small strokes to evoke light, movement and atmosphere. Although influenced by Impressionism and early modern styles, his work evolved into a distinctive visual language that celebrates village life, rice terraces, temples and the natural environment. Smit also had a profound impact as a mentor: in the early 1960s he encouraged young Balinese artists in Penestanan near Ubud to paint intuitively, helping to found what became known as the “Young Artists” movement, which brought painting to many local youths and transformed the region’s art scene. In recognition of his artistic contributions and cultural influence, he received the prestigious Dharma Kusuma award from the Balinese provincial government. Smit’s work has been exhibited widely across Indonesia and internationally, and many of his paintings are held in museum collections in Bali, Malaysia and beyond.
A lyrical moment of stillness and spirit, Flute Playing Temple captures Arie Smit’s vibrant interpretation of Balinese life - where music, devotion, and color flow together in harmonious rhythm.
(Photographed in January 2026)