LOT 49
KHALIL IBRAHIM
B. Kelantan, 1934 – 2018
Portrait of A Lady in Red, 2003
Signed and dated “khalil 2003” on lower right
Acrylic on canvas
38.5 x 28 cm
Provenance Private Collection Kuala Lumpur
Illustrated in the Art Journey of Khalil Ibrahim coffee table book on page 124
RM 12,000 – RM 18,000
To own an artwork by Khalil Ibrahim is to own a piece of history. The Kelantan born artist is regarded as one of the most influential artists in Malaysia for his masterful use of batik as a medium. He is one of few Malaysians to have received art training at the prestigious Central St. Martins School of Art and Design in London during the 1960’s. At the school, he received rigorous training in portraiture and explored various hues to bring out the personality of his subjects with muted colours and realistic reflection in the canvas. The Portrait of a Lady in Red stands out from the rest as a bright red is used to in the subject’s clothes and a facial expression that leaves the audience in a state of debate. The portrait invokes a powerful curiosity into the thoughts of the subject which brings his body of art to life.