LOT 24
LIM CHENG HOE
B. China, 1912 – 1979
Malay Village, 1970
Signed and dated “C.H Lim 70” on lower left
Watercolour on paper
60 x 45 cm
Private Collection, Canada
RM 18,000 – RM 30,000
Lim Cheng Hoe was born in Xiamen, China and moved to Singapore with his parents when he was seven years old. He was a watercolourist recognised as one of the key pioneer artists in Singapore, along with his peers like Cheong Soo Pieng and Chen Chong Swee. He was credited for the amalgamation of interest in watercolour art in the local art scene and in turn, the founding of the Singapore Watercolour Society. Largely self-taught, he studied painting under the then-art inspector of schools, Richard Walker, and honed his skills in the 1950’s and 1970’s by practicing and interacting with fellow artists during outdoor painting sessions. During the 1950’s, Lim devoted much time to portraiture in watercolours and pastels. In the 1960’s, Lim’s style in his landscape works became increasingly abstract with the use of limited colours to create vibrant scenes through a variety of brushstrokes.