Renato Cristiano is one of the most important expatriate artist who worked in Bali during the tumultuous years that followed the destruction and turmoil of world war II, and the Indonesian struggle for independence. He Landed on the island in 1955 after a long and circuitous journey that carried him from his native Italy to France, Marocco, India and Southeast Asia. Already an acclaimed abstract artist with a promising career before him, he arrived in Indonesia during a time of graet change. His Friends and acquaintances included expatriate artist Rudolf Bonnet and Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres, as well as Arie Smith and Auke Sonnega. Among his chief patrons was the highly charismatic leader of the Indonesian republic and avid art collector President Soekarno. Cristiano's story gives an intimate glimpse into a fascinating period during which the foundations of the contemporary Indonesian art scene were laid.