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Towns and Landscapes
Moonlit Landscape near Sumedang, West Java, Rare Java Lithograph, 1872
€1,950
$2,185 · £1,635
Original print, not a reproduction
Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, insured and tracked. 14-day returns.
- Date
- 1872
- Sheet size
- 14.6 × 10.2 in (37 × 26 cm)
- Condition
- Good. This print is in very good condition. The image area is rich in tone and free from major blemishes. Slight foxing and age toning are visible in the margins but do not interfere with the artwork.
- Island
- Java
- Collection
- Towns and Landscapes
- Period
- Netherlands Indies, 1850 and after
- Stock no.
- f_44972632
- Color
- Printed color
What the condition grades mean
- Excellent
- Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
- Very good
- Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
- Good
- Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
- Fair
- Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Moonlit Landscape near Sumedang, West Java, Rare Java Lithograph, 1872
This atmospheric and beautifully rendered chromolithograph shows a moonlit landscape in the highlands around Sumedang, located in the Preanger (Priangan) regencies of West Java. It is plate number 19 from the acclaimed folio Java, naar schilderijen en teekeningen van A. Salm, based on original works by Abram Salm and published by Frans Buffa & Zonen in Amsterdam circa 1872, with lithography by J.C. Greive Jr.
The scene is set under a luminous night sky, where a full moon glows behind scattered clouds, casting silver light over a tropical valley of palms and mountains. To the right, a small thatched Javanese hut stands beside a gently smoking fire. A group of villagers gathers in the warm glow of the flames, their gestures suggesting quiet conversation or the preparation of a meal. Beyond them, a path winds through the densely forested valley, where additional huts can be seen tucked beneath tall palms and rolling slopes.
The entire scene is steeped in a quiet, almost dreamlike stillness. Salm’s original painting was remarkable for its mastery of nocturnal light, and Greive’s lithographic interpretation preserves that intimacy and tonal nuance through deep indigos, silvers, and warm orange highlights. Few 19th-century colonial prints attempt a moonlight scene with such precision and poetic atmosphere, making this plate a standout within the series.
Sumedang, a culturally rich highland region, was known in the 19th century for its natural beauty and relative isolation. This lithograph evokes that remoteness, offering the viewer not only a serene natural setting but a rare glimpse into the domestic life of rural Javanese people under the light of the moon.
A perfect choice for collectors of romantic landscapes, Southeast Asian art, or early depictions of village life in Indonesia.
Condition report:
This print is in very good condition. The image area is rich in tone and free from major blemishes. Slight foxing and age toning are visible in the margins but do not interfere with the artwork. The colors, especially the contrast between moonlight and firelight, remain vibrant. The title ticket is not visible but presumed part of the original series.
Framing suggestion:
A dark wood or black frame with a subtle silver or charcoal mat would complement the nocturnal color palette. Use museum-quality glass with UV protection to maintain the delicate tonal balance of this rare and evocative scene.
The complete list from this work below. A large number of them available for purchase in my shop:
1. Het land Tjitarap; Assistent-Residentie Buitenzorg
The land of Tjitarap; Assistant Residency of Buitenzorg
2. De Vulkaan de Smeroe; genomen uit de Residentie Pasoeroean
The volcano Smeroe; seen from the Pasoeroean Residency
3. Waterval Singahan; Residentie Rembang
The Singahan Waterfall; Rembang Residency
4. De Suikerfabriek Pangka; Residentie Tagal
The sugar factory Pangka; Tagal Residency
5. Gezicht op het land Tjiliboet; Assistent-Residentie Buitenzorg
View of the land of Tjiliboet; Assistant Residency of Buitenzorg
6. De kleine Baai Srigonjo, zuidkust van Java; Assistent-Residentie Malang, Residentie Pasoeroean
The small bay of Srigonjo, south coast of Java; Assistant Residency of Malang, Pasoeroean Residency
7. Anjer, straat Sunda, Noordkust van Java; Residentie Bantam
Anjer, Sunda Strait, north coast of Java; Bantam Residency
8. De Vuurspuwende Berg Bromo in 1856; Residentie Probolingo
The erupting Mount Bromo in 1856; Probolingo Residency
9. Gezicht op de rivier de Solo; Assistent-Residentie Toeban, Residentie Rembang
View of the Solo River; Assistant Residency of Toeban, Rembang Residency
10. Gezicht op het Kawische Gebergte en op de Tabaks-onderneming; Assistent-Residentie Malang
View of the Kawische Mountains and a tobacco plantation; Assistant Residency of Malang
11. Weg van Buitenzorg naar de Vallei van den Salakh; Residentie Buitenzorg
Road from Buitenzorg to the Valley of Salakh; Buitenzorg Residency
12. De Rivier Brantas als Bergstroom; Residentie Pasoeroean
The Brantas River as a mountain stream; Pasoeroean Residency
13. Landschap in de Bataviasche ommelanden
Landscape in the surroundings of Batavia
14. Landschap in het Malangsche; Residentie Pasoeroean
Landscape in the Malang region; Pasoeroean Residency
15. Huwelijks-optocht in de Vallei van den Salakh
Wedding procession in the Valley of Salakh
16. Landschap in de Residentie Bantam
Landscape in the Bantam Residency
17. Gezicht op het land Kedong Badak en den grooten weg naar Buitenzorg
View of the land Kedong Badak and the main road to Buitenzorg
18. Dorpsfeest in de omstreken van den Ardjoeno; Residentie Soerabaja
Village festival in the surroundings of Mount Ardjoeno; Soerabaja Residency
19. Landschap bij maneschijn in de omstreken van Sumedang; Preanger regentschappen
Moonlit...
