LOT 80
JEHAN CHAN
B. Melaka, 1937 – 2011
Untitled, 1966
Chinese ink and watercolour on paper
89 x 43 cm
Private Collection, Canada
Signed and dated “Jehan Chan ‘66” on lower left. Stamped with artist’s chinese seal
RM 2,500 – 5,000
A compelling early work by Jehan Chan, this 1966 Chinese ink and watercolour on paper exemplifies the artist’s distinctive synthesis of Eastern aesthetics and modernist sensibility. Executed with remarkable restraint and elegance, the composition centres on a languid female figure, rendered in fluid, calligraphic lines that echo the traditions of classical Chinese ink painting while embracing a contemporary, stylised form. The figure’s elongated posture and introspective gaze evoke a quiet sensuality, heightened by the delicate interplay of negative space and textured washes. Earthy ochres, muted reds, and soft teal accents create a harmonious palette, while the crackled, almost antiqued surface lends the work a timeless, tactile quality.