Koempoel Sujatno

1912 – 1987

Koempoel Sujatno (1912-1987) was a prolific Indonesian painter born in Ngawi, East Java. He was a student of Dutch artists Gerard Pieter Adolfs and Willem van der Does, and is associated with the Mooi Indie ("Beautiful Indies") style. His talent was first recognized by his headmaster at a Dutch school, who introduced him to Adolfs.

From 1928 to 1932, Adolfs taught Koempoel realistic representation techniques that would become central to his success. Koempoel had a strong preference for painting outdoors, capturing scenes under natural light. This is reflected in the bright and harmonious colors of his work, which exude a graceful charm. Though many of his estimated 2,500 paintings have been lost or damaged, his legacy as a master of the Mooi Indie style endures. He passed away in Batu, East Java, in 1987 due to severe throat cancer.