Lot 38 | 3 October 2021

 

 

LOT 38

LEE MAN FONG

B. China, 1913 – 1988

Sketch for “Market Day – Kota Bharu”, 1975

Stamped with artist seal on lower left

Pastel on paper/ Poster published by Art Book Co. Ltd

31 x 18 cm / 78 x 36 cm

Private Collection, Singapore
Formerly in the Private Collection of A Distinguished Collector in Jakarta, Indonesia

RM15,000 – RM25,000

Chinese painter Lee Man Fong, trained in China and in Western Europe, and lived much of his life in Indonesia, developing a particular style that blends together a variety of sources for his quiet yet passionate vision. He often turned to Chinese brushwork and technique in painting his scenes that relied on Western visual conventions. A leading painter and curator, his pioneering vision established the Nanyang style in the 20th century in Indonesia. While most of the artist’s works revolved around the scenes and subjects in Indonesia, these works, titled “Market Day – Kota Bharu ‘’ (1975) departs from the norm to present a typical morning scene in Kota Bharu, Malaysia. Executed using pastel on paper/ Poster published by Art Book Co. Ltd, the colours employed here were eye-catching and robust instead of the sepia tones Lee Man Fong usually applies.