In 2011 it set the current record at €1.6m for the oil painting In letzter Not (In Acute Peril).
On May 17, a recently rediscovered 2ft 2in x 3ft 3in (67 x 98cm) canvas Kampf zwischen arabischen Reitern und einem Löwen (Fight between Arabian Horsemen and a Lion) is coming up for sale.
The artist’s career was far from ordinary. He was born as a Javanese prince, but spent over 20 years in various parts of Europe where he learnt to paint and achieved considerable success. He spent several years at the court of his good friend Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in Dresden and thanks to his noble origins he was warmly welcomed by other royal families.
Although Raden Saleh also painted conventional European landscapes and portraits, he was particularly feted for his dramatic depictions of exotic subjects, often incorporating wild animals. During a visit to the Hague, an animal trainer allowed him to study his lions. He later transferred the images of the caged animals to exotic surroundings.
The painting in Cologne conforms to this pattern: a ferocious lion is attacking three horsemen who have already slain his mate. The lion is, however, giving as good as he gets and has torn one of the riders from his horse.
Van Ham is expecting €300,000-500,000, but hoping for more.
