Visit Museums in Jakarta: Museum Senir Rupa dan Keramik In The Old City of Jakarta.

  

The Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics,Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik, is a museum dedicated especially to the display of traditional fine art and ceramics of Indonesia. The museum is at Jalan Pos Kota No.2 in east side of Fatahillah Square, near Jakarta History Museum and Wayang Museum.

The building of the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum was completed on January 12, 1870, and was used as the Court of Justice (Dutch: de Raad van Justitie). The building was known as Paleis van Justitie. During the Japanese occupation, the building was used by KNIL and later after the independence of Indonesia, was used as the Indonesian military dormitory and as the logistic warehouse. In 1967, the building was used as the West Jakarta Mayor Office. In 1974, the building was used as an office for the Jakarta Museum and History Department. The building was officially inaugurated as the Fine Art and Ceramic museum by president Soeharto on August 20, 1976.

With around 400 pieces in its collection, this museum displays wooden totems, batik cloth, sketches, sculpture in various media, and paintings, as well as a wide variety of ceramics. The paintings span from the 19th century to current times and include several works by well-known Indonesan artists, including Raden Saleh and Affandi. Classical Balinese sculpture, symbolic wood totems, and sculptures by modern artists from throughout the archipelago are also on display.

The collection featuters ceramics of local and foreign origin, ranging from antique to contemporary. A number of Majapahit-era( 14th century) items are also on view, along with items from Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Europe. Chinese ceramics- particularly from the Ming and Qing dynasties- acoount for the largest number of items. The museum also houses a reference library, a souvenir shop, and an earthenware studio, which is open to the public.