I Nyoman Ngendon

One of the first artists from Batuan to start painting. Ngendon apparently learned his skill from his cousin, Patera (the first local to contact the Western painters Spies and Bonnet). Dewa Mura was one of his teachers, and he is said to have learned painting by drawing in the dirt. He was said by Bateson and Mead to be no longer painting when they began collecting (1936-1939), and he remained an influential figure among the artists in Batuan, becoming a teacher to many of them. Bateson and Mead also note that 'Some of his pictures are only MEDIUM SKILL' MK interview: 1. Been making pictures about 7 years, Work other than picture making: plays instrument in arja. Did not answer the rest of the questions in section 1, about other work, or about finishing the pictures of other people. 2. a. Is doing fewer pictures now than previously b. He worked with I Keteg. c. taught: I Tomblos, I Keteg, Ida Bagus Tiba, Dewa Roeka, Ida Bagus Ketut Diding, Ida Bagoes Lanoes, Dewa Tjoekit Has made drawings for others to complete Usually works alone, either day or night Gets his stories from his memory, not from friend or teacher or lontar. Thinks of story then makes picture 3. a. Sells most of his pictures now to Pita Maha, in the past in Museum Badoeng. Is a member of Pita Maha. Has sold to Tuan Hubolt, but not to Tuan Neuhaus. He has sold himself, directly. He has never sold the pictures of friends. 4. Has been taught by a foreigner. He remembers being taught to look at his picture from a distance. He has been to the homes of: Spies, Bonnet, Sayers. Has worked at home of Tuan Bonnet and picture has been corrected. Also at home of Tuan Spies. He has often brought them completed pictures and had them corrected. He has often been told by them to correct a picture, for instance to add color. He has often seen the foreign painters at work (Speed, Dresen, Spies, Bonnet) He has been told by a foreigner to: copy an old Balinese picture on cloth, to make a picture according to the wish of the foreigner,to copy a picture that he himself has made, to copy a picture by a Balinese artist from another village, to copy a picture or carving or photo by a foreigner. He has not been told by a foreigner to: Copy a picture on a lontar, copy a picture by someone from Batuan. e. He has tried to: copy the style of pictures from books that he had from school, to copy one of Spies' pictures, to copy a picture from a book. But he has not tried to copy a picture by a Chinese. 5. a. His first picture was wajang-wajangan , but it has been burnt up. He thinks that the first picture maker in Batuan was I Dewa Nyoman Moera. The first picture he saw was by Dewa Njoman Moera. From Batuan. 6. Likes: in Wayang the raksasa and the dedari. The story he likes best is Weatekoeatja. In dances he likes barong nanging melampahan. He likes to watch. In drawing he likes best to make figures. The step he likes best is ngorten. He has never seen endihan, tonja or lejak, and has never been possessed. He would dare anything on the list, and would dare go to Surabaya etc. if he had the money. 7. He has lived outside of Batuan, in Badoeng at the home of Tuan Hubolt, for a month, in Tabanan for three months with Tuan Resink. He made pictures there. 8. travels: Has been to Tuan Hubolt, Museum, Tuan Ikan, Tuan Spies, Tuan Bonnet, Not to: LeMayeur, Meier, or Mershon. Has been to movies. Has been to Kerta Ghosa in Klungkoeng and Besakih, but not to Batukau. Has been to visit hospitals in Bangli and Badoeng. co-artists of pictures in coll.: IBP Sentoelan, IB Manpoek First picture in collection is probably in April or May, 1936, not dated, but mentioned by GB, as "tarbaby" picture. (B 248) FIRST LARGE: Feb 6, 37, of 19x22, pita maha, rajapala. Ethnographic picture of wedding ritual, with torso of man and woman in center -- arrangements of ribbons and curtains look like a studio portrait. (July, 27, 37, 15 x16) not very skillful. He was at one point Spies' favourite painter, although Spies and Bonnet did not like him personally, and he was a member of the Pita Maha cooperative.  There are nine pictures by him in the Bateson-Mead Commission.  (H. Geertz 1994: 108). The information from Bateson and Mead is contradicted by a set of later works with his signature that were in the collection of Theo Meier, and other works are attributed to him by Meier, although not all of these attributions are definite.