LOT 24
CHEN WEN HSI
B. China, 1906 – 1991
Squirrels
Signed in Chinese character and stamped with seal of the artist on upper right
Chinese ink and watercolour on paper
55 x 69 cm
Private Collection, Singapore
RM 35,000 – RM 55,000
Though working across myriad mediums, it was in Chinese ink that some of the most exceptional works by Chen Wen Hsi were found. When working with this medium, Chen Wen Hsi experimented with a repertoire of natural subjects such as chickens, herons, carps, squirrels, as well as gibbons, his most favourite subject. Squirrels, which are elusive in nature is portrayed in an ephemeral moment, frozen in time. The brilliant execution of this work showcases that Chen studied these squirrels down to the minutiae and captures its appearance and motion, like a picture. Chen Wen Hsi was born in Guandong, China, and developed his traditional ink painting techniques at the Shanghai College of Art and the Xinhua College of Art. Renowned for his avant-garde Chinese ink works, he continued to engage with ancient Chinese painting history throughout his life. Also experimenting with oil painting and a diversity of Western styles, Chen Wen Hsi is recognised alongside Cheong Soo Pieng, Liu Kang and Chen Chong Swee as one of the pioneers of the Nanyang art movement.