Agus Djaya (b.1913 – d.1994)
Goddess,1960

Oil on board

Created between 1957 and 1962, Goddess reflects Agus Djaya's fascination with Indonesian mythology as a source of inspiration for modern art. The female figure is adorned with clothing and jewellery inspired by the reliefs of Java's Hindu–Buddhist temples, bringing echoes of history and spirituality into a modern painterly language.

 

In the early 1960s, as many Indonesian artists sought to define a national artistic identity, Agus Djaya turned to local cultural traditions as a foundation for creative expression. Through this graceful yet commanding goddess figure, he suggests that mythological narratives are not merely remnants of the past but enduring sources of imagination, cultural memory, and identity. The painting entered the Museum of Fine Arts collection through a donation by Adam Malik in 1976.