Blue-Clothed Saleswomen

Three Javanese women sit sit-by-side at the Ubud marketplace in this oil on canvas painting from Javanese artist Purwadi. The women, all clad in blue, await the day's customers with various postures. One woman looks down, preoccupied by something unseen. The middle woman gazes ahead, unfocused; perhaps dreaming of the work day's end. The woman at right is ready for business, her posture erect and her eyes calculating. Purwadi renders the women in strong lines and somber colors, conveying the harsh reality of their daily lives.