Raden Saleh, The Eruption of Mount Merapi, by Day, Java, 1865
On 25 January, Sotheby’s will stage its Modern and Contemporary Art auction in Singapore, coinciding with Singapore Art Week (SAW). Highlights from the sale will be exhibited to the public from 21 to 24 January 2026 at The Edition Hotel, followed by a live auction on 25 January.
This sale features two masterpieces by early Southeast Asian masters that have transformed the history of Indonesian art and beyond. Led by Walter Spies, Die Schlittschuhläufer (The Ice Skaters) was painted in 1922, prior to the artist’s iconic journey to Java and Bali. This rare painting captures a surreal, moonlit scene of skaters gracefully gliding on ice, offering a glimpse into the formative development of Spies’ artistic language and is known as one of the few autobiographical paintings by the artist. Given his untimely passing, artwork from this pre-war era is exceedingly rare, especially at auctions. After being held in a private collection for nearly 15 years, Die Schlittschuhläufer (The Ice Skaters) stands as a compelling example of the artist’s distinctive magical realism.
The auction also spotlights a rare, fresh-to-market painting by Raden Saleh, the 19th-century nationalist artist from Indonesia, who is known as the first “modern” artist from the country. The unveiling of The Eruption of Mount Merapi, by Day by Saleh marks a historic moment, as it has been held within a private European collection for over a hundred years. Having closely observed and documented the eruption of Mt. Merapi in 1865, Saleh captures the grandeur of Merapi during the day and night in a famous series. The present painting is the only daytime portrayal of Mount Merapi’s eruption ever to appear at auction.
Venue: Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Art Auction, 38 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249731
When: 21 - 25 Jan 2026,
