LOT 42
CHUAH THEAN TENG, DATO’
B. China, 1914 – 2008
Boy Playing Flute at Riverside
Signed “Teng” on lower left
Batik
58 x 46 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 35,000 – RM 55,000
‘Boy Playing Flute at Riverside’ is an endearing scene of a simpler time. At the foreground, a boy, dressed in a red baju Melayu and songkok is seen leaning against a tree and playing his flute by the riverside. In the background, a lady dressed only in a sarong at a simple wooden pier is cleansing herself. Far in the distance, wooden houses on stilts are encapsulated by coconut trees. The artist portrays the simplicity of life way back when in his masterful batik medium. Dato’ Chuah Thean Teng is the world- acknowledged founder of Batik Painting and had his breakthrough exhibition in 1955. Studying at the Xiamen (Amoy) Art Institute in China, his paintings, Two Of A Kind (1968) and Tell You A Secret (1987), took on iconic status when selected for Unicef greeting cards. He was also honoured with a retrospective exhibition by the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur in 1965 and by the Penang State Art Gallery in 1994. His major works are on show at Yahong Art Gallery in Batu Ferringhi in Penang, which is a veritable museum also showcasing the batik works of his sons and grandsons.