Art Collecting By Us is announcing the launch of Sudarso.com. Sudarso, who passed away in 2006, is the Indonesian 'Master of Realism'.

Along with Affandi, Sudarso is considered one of the fathers of modern art in Indonesia. He is most highly regarded as a painter of female portraits. Sudarso's rendering of hands and feet are considered perfection.

His female subjects tend to be beautiful young women from his surrounding villages. They usually reflect a simplicity and happiness that shines with a wonderful purity and profound intensity.

Sudarso was born in 1914 and he dedicated his entire 92 years to art. When he started painting it was not a real option for someone like him in Indonesia. He was forced to work hard and make his own way.

The official Sudarso site is here to provide a resource into the life and works of one of the most fundamentally vital painters in all of Indonesia's art history.

There are extensive galleries and biographical information.

• Portrait Gallery
• Flower Gallery
• Landscape Gallery
• Self Portrait Gallery

Sudarso is also the father of Sudargono or 'Gono','Indonesia's abstract pioneer. Gono is considered just as influential to his generation of painters as his father was to his.

There have been many notable patrons of Sudarso's art but none more impressive than the first president of the Republic of Indonesia, his close and personal friend President Soekarno.

Further, Sudarso was the head of the "Pelukis Rakyat", and taught at Akademi Seni Rupa Indonesia.

At this point it is very difficult to collect Sudarso originals. Most remaining pieces are going to museums.