Salute: How Germany's Maxen City Honors Raden Saleh's Painting Maestro

Blue House in Maxen City built in honor of Raden Saleh. (Source: Embassy of Berlin)

JAKARTA - Raden Saleh Sjarif Boestaman's name is so fragrant and revered in the small town of Maxen, Germany. One of Indonesia's most respected painters in foreign countries, leaving a real trace in Maxen City.

Last weekend, hundreds of residents of Maxen city and its surroundings flocked to the Blue House (Blaues Häusel) in Maxen City founded by german nobleman Friedrich Anton Serre in 1848.

The goal was to commemorate the birthday of Raden Saleh, a Javanese man who had lived and worked in the small town in the period 1839-1849.

Classified as a talented young painter who was born in Semarang in 1811. He received a scholarship from the colonial government to hone his painting skills in the Netherlands in 1829.

In the Netherlands, he studied painting with European romanticist painters such as Cornelis Kruseman and Andries Schelfhout. However, the treatment of the Dutch in general who viewed Raden Saleh as a second-class citizen, because he was a resident of the colony, led him to decide to emigrate to Germany in 1839.

From The Hague, he traveled eastwards and visited German cities such as Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Berlin to continue his painting studies with local German painters.

One day, he arrived in Dresden and Maxen and decided to stay for 10 years in the city. The reason is that he was accepted by the local community who greatly appreciated his painting as a human being. In fact, he got the nickname 'Prince of Java' in the city.

Angklung cultural art performance in commemoration of Raden Saleh's birth in Germany. (Source: Embassy of Berlin)

"Today is Indonesia Day. In front of this Blue House we commemorate the birth of a Javanese painter 210 years ago, his name is Raden Saleh and he was once an important part of Maxen City," said one of the local figures Jutta Tronicke, who actively promoted the figure of Raden Saleh in Germany with the Indonesian embassy, in a statement of the Embassy of Berlin, Monday, May 24.

"He came to this city in 1839 and was good friends with Mr. Friedrich Serre who built this pavilion in 1848 as a mark of respect for Raden Saleh," he explained to the visitors while pointing to the 4 x 4 meter building shaped like a mosque complete with its blue dome.

At the top of the pavilion door of the Blue House is engraved two inscriptions of Javanese and German script which means 'Glorify God and Love Man'. This inscription was made by Raden Saleh because he himself was asked by Friedrich Serre to be the architect of this building.

"We express our appreciation for the cooperation and support of the Government of Indonesia through the Embassy of Berlin to the existence of Raden Saleh Blue House in Maxen which is a cultural heritage protected by the German Government," said blue house owner and manager Marid Helbig.

Sundanese angklung music and Dayak traditional dance performed by members of the Indonesian Community Forum in Dresden (FORMID), as well as a typical Indonesian snack treat, completes the Indonesian feel in Maxen City at that time.

On this occasion, the Embassy of Berlin also donated four apple trees to be planted along the path to the Blue House to commemorate the 210th anniversary of his birth. A symbol of respect for his service as Indonesia's 'Cultural Ambassador' to Germany in the 19th century.

"Raden Saleh is an icon of friendship between Indonesian and German people. He is a cultural bridge between Indonesia and Germany, so that the two nations can get to know each other, fill and enrich," said Michael and Giselle who attended this activity.

"Imagine a Javanese could be present in Maxen hundreds of years ago and become part of the Maxen community, respected for his outstanding painting work. He introduced Java to the German people through artwork," they said.

Raden Saleh died in Bogor on April 23, 1880. Raden Saleh's paintings can now be enjoyed in 43 museums around the world, not to mention a number of his paintings owned by private collectors.

His paintings are also of high value, as one of his paintings sold for nearly US$10 million at one of the auction houses in France.