Boschbrand (Forest Fire) - Introduction

Welcome to National Gallery Singapore, I am your audio describer Jasmin. We are now located on level 3, Gallery 2 of the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery.

In front of us is Boschbrand, an enormous oil painting on canvas painted in 1849 by the Indonesian artist Raden Saleh. This tactile adaptation is an A3-sized version that’s proportionate to the original painting, which stands at three metres tall and almost four metres wide.

Boschbrand, a Dutch word for “forest fire”, portrays a dramatic struggle for survival. Native Indonesian animals flee a burning forest, scrambling over each other in their desperation to escape, unaware they are heading towards a cliff. In the face of disaster, the natural hierarchy of predator and prey dissolves.

The painting has been deconstructed into five layers. To begin, place your hand on the tactile painting. Move your fingers slowly to the left until you encounter a thick vertical line. Trace this line in a clockwise direction. This is a rectangular directional frame that resembles a clock, with markers at the three, six, nine and twelve o’clock positions.

Please approach the staff if you require any assistance.

We hope you enjoy this unusual and extraordinary journey of art appreciation.