Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres was a Belgian Artist much known for his unorthodox brush strokes. He was a deep man; a thinker and an ardent lover and what he passionately lived for were two things; art and women. He found deep beauty in the two; he found meaning and purpose in the two; a depth that ran deeper than what was apparent and he transcended what he saw and what he believed through his bold brush strokes that created art that penetrated the soul. Le Mayeur was a traveller and everywhere he went he brought with him a memory recreated in his art. Le Mayeur arrived in Bali in 1932 and just like the other cities he visited he expected Bali to be one of his stops; a mere stop but certainly a breathtaking one. Little did he realise that this quaint village will be the very location where he would meet the love of his life and ultimately call it his home.
Three years after Le Mayeur came to Bali, he met a beautiful Balinese girl named Ni Pollok. She was a Legong Dancer who had the most striking moves and a captivating figure. Their relationship started off with Ni Pollok modelling for Le Mayeur, but it didn’t take long for them to fall passionately in love with each other and ultimately get married. The Le Mayeur Museum was the house in which they started out their marital life. With Ni Pollok’s constant love, he was inspired to become better than ever. His art became magnificent and most of it featured depictions of his stunning wife. The two lived on in love and compassion until Le Mayeur died in 1958. Ni Pollok continued to reside at this sanctuary of her husband’s work until she too passed away in the year 1985. Since then the location became a symbol of love and artistic talent. The house is filled with an array of paintings and antiques and sits right near the side of the beach. The house exhibits authentic Balinese architecture and has beautifully carved window shutters that relive the legendary Hindu tale of Sita and Rama; lovers of all time.
Only a boutique hotel Bali will truly transcend the essence of the Le Mayeur Museum. The L Hotel Seminyak is that boutique hotel that portrays the sheer luxury of a Bali luxury hotel.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
