is the first comprehensive survey of Balinese painting from its
origins in the traditional Balinese village to its present
position at the forefront of the high-priced Asian art scene.
Balinese art has been popular and widely collected around the
world for many decades. In fact, the contemporary painter who
commands the highest prices in Southeast Asia's hot art market
is not Chinese but Bali-born Nyoman Masriadi (1973—). This book
demonstrates that his work draws on a long and deeply-rooted
tradition. Balinese painting has deep local roots and has
followed its own distinctive trajectory, yet has been heavily
influenced by outsiders. Indian artistic and religious
traditions were introduced to Bali over a thousand years ago
through the prism of ancient Javanese culture. Balinese artists
and craftsmen have also interacted with other Asian artists,
particularly those of China, and later Western artists. From
these sources, an aesthetic tradition developed that depicts
stories from the ancient Indian epics as wel