LOT 27
CHIA YU CHIAN
B. Johor, 1936 – 1997
The Wooden Bridge, December 1969
Signed on lower left. Title and date inscribed on the verso
Oil on canvas
56.5 x 44.5 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 7,000 – RM 12,000
Chia Yu Chian was a distinguished Malaysian artist who employed characteristically Western bold brushstrokes along with Asian aesthetics in his work. Having graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he further pursued his art education at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts de Paris as the first artist from the Straits Settlement. Inspired by the works of Cheong Soo Pieng and Chen Wen Hsi that featured Nanyang landscapes and scenes from daily life in Malaysia, the painter depicted vivid local scenes dedicated to his beautiful hometown. The present painting ‘The Wooden Bridge’ is a relatively early work by the artist, which highlights the contrasting colours and architectural design of an exhausted bridge in what looks like a fishing village. Warm colours like brown and yellow complement greyish hues, creating a sense of balance and serenity. Chia tended to focus solely on representing inanimate objects in his compositions, emphasising a noiseless tranquillity; although there are no human beings present in the painting, the structure lives through the portrayed colours and compact composition.