Horses 

Basuki Abdullah painted these 'Horses' with oil, in a style that blends Western academic painting with Indonesian visual culture. The image shows powerful animals clashing against a wide-open landscape. Horses carry a lot of meaning here. During the colonial period, horses became symbols of prestige and power, linked to the Dutch rulers and wealthy elites in Indonesian society. Abdullah, trained in the Western style, would have been aware of these associations. It is interesting to consider whether he meant to subtly critique these power structures by depicting the horses as wild and untamed, rather than docile symbols of authority. The lack of precise dating adds complexity to the interpretation of the artwork. To understand this painting better, we would need to examine colonial archives, art criticism, and biographical sources, which could reveal a deeper understanding of the social and institutional forces that shaped Abdullah's artistic choices. Remember that art is always made in a specific context.