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Ubud Blanco Renaissance MuseumAntonio Maria Blanco (1912 – 1999) was a painter of Spanish and American descent. Settled in Bali, Antonio began to realize his dreams in life and work. He built a house and museum in Ubud which contains many of his paintings.

Antonio was born in Philippines. He initially lived and worked in Florida and California, United States, until he became interested in exploring the islands of the Pacific Ocean that had been a source of inspiration for painters such as José Miguel Covarrubias, Paul Gauguin, and others before him.

He planned to go to Tahiti, but fate brought him to Hawaii, Japan and Cambodia, where he was a guest of honor of Prince Norodom Sihanouk.

The land on which the

construction was erected was given to Antonio by the King of

Ubud Tjokorda Gde

Agung Sukawati.

From Cambodia he went to Bali in 1952 and married a traditional Balinese dancer named Ni Ronji in 1953.

Bali gave Antonio

important elements that he

needed to develop his

artistic gifts: the beautiful

scenery, the dreamlike

atmosphere of the environment

and the pervasive art

and great love.

However, their married life was not that easy. As an idealist artist, Blanco decided not to sell his paintings though they were in financial difficulties. As a wife, Ni Ronji couldn’t force Blanco to do something against his determination. And here Ni Ronji was, with the financial difficulties and idealist husband, she was successful to survive.

Even Ni Ronji was always there beside Blanco when

important friends

including first RI’s president coming to their

home. She performed the most famous

Balinese dance to

welcome them.

The five-acre property beside the Campuhan River contains an art museum, which has an outrageous design that utterly dominates the grounds; a family house; a temple; a restaurant; and a gift shop. If you're lucky, you might meet Mario Blanco (the maestro's son) on the grounds, and he may tell you stories of his father's adventures.

Visitors enter the grounds through a circular gate. They walk through a menagerie of birds and assorted animals before they reach the main grounds, a manicured lawn with a gigantic fountain in the middle, facing a 50-foot green marble sculpture that serves as a decorative gate into the museum.

The sculpture that serves as a decorative gate

into the museum is

modeled after Blanco's own signature, and the height (in

meters) represents his

birthday, September 15.

The stairs that climb up to the

museum entrance are flanked with naga - snake

sculptures - and are painted red at the middle,

like a red carpet leading up to a VIP haunt. As

you enter, you'll notice golden

Balinese dancers at each

corner of the roof, and the

goddess Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of knowledge, a favorite muse of

Blanco's) topping off the whole building

The steps are guarded by two naga (- snake sculptures) - Naga is the

sacred name of mythical serpent

in Southeast Asian and Indian

literature.

The alternative explanation for the cause of earthquakes is the Balinese belief that Bali sits on the back of a turtle, the world-turtle, Bedawang Nala, who occasionally stirs and sets off earthquakes. Bedawang is flanked by two dragon-snakes, the Nagas, one of which is green or blue and the other is red. There are many representations of Bedawang and the Nagas in Balinese paintings, carvings, shrines and cremation towers. The Balinese bang pots and drums during an earthquake to wake up the Nagas, Basuki and Anantaboga, in case they have fallen asleep on the job of holding the earth's foundations together.

Golden Balinese dancers at each corner of the roof

The goddess Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of knowledge, a favorite muse of Blanco's)

The museum building blends European and Balinese design, much as Antonio Blanco melded European art and Balinese sensibilities in his work. The interior covers three storys, all housing different works by Blanco from different periods. It was the Maestro's own wish that his works never be exhibited to the public outside of his own museum.

Blanco received numerous awards, including the Tiffany Fellowship (special award from The Society of Honolulu Artists), Chevalier du Sahametrai of Cambodia, the Society of Painters of Fine Art Quality of President Sukarno and the Prize of the Art Critique in Spain. Antonio was also awarded the order of Cruz de Caballero from the King of Spain Juan Carlos I, giving him the title of "Don" in front of his name.

the country’s current President SBY, visited the museum and left a message of support

Many collectors have appreciated his paintings, including the actress Ingrid Bergman, Mexican telenovela queen Thalia (Ariadna Thalia Sodi Miranda), Sukarno (the first President of Indonesia), Suharto (the second presindet of Indonesia), the former Indonesian Vice President Adam Malik, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Michael Jackson and many more

The Blanco Renaissance Museum, Antonio's lifetime dream, was opened on December 28, 1998 at his residence where more than 300 works of Antonio are exposed in chronological order to show his artistic development. The sumptuous and impressive building offers a glimpse of his theatrical character. He emulated the flamboyance of Dali, to whom he has been compared.

Blanco wasn't simply a painter, but a consummate artist - he incorporated poetry into some of his works, and some of the poetry isn't fit to be repeated in polite society! Visual riddles and puns are worked into his art, and it takes a keen eye to spot them all. The guide will be happy to explain what you see as you walk around

Looking around the museum, a pattern emerges of the subjects that fascinated Blanco to the end of his life: women, his own children, and the magic of Bali. The women are by far his most popular subject: unabashedly sexual, some in languid reclining poses.

Text and pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Gus Teja - Morning Happiness