LOT 73
CHIA YU CHIAN
B. Johor, 1936 – 1991
French Cottage, 1966
Oil on board
60 x 46 cm
Private Collection, Perak
Signed and dated “Yu Chian, 1966” on upper left
RM 18,000 – 32,000
Chia Yu Chian, a pioneering figure in Malaysian modern art, is celebrated for his expressive landscapes and vibrant depictions of both local and European scenes. Born in Johor in 1936 and trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he later became the first artist from the Straits Settlements to receive a French Government scholarship at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His 1966 painting French Cottage reflects his Post- Impressionist influences, capturing a rural French scene with bold colour, energetic brushwork, and rich atmospheric depth. Through his expressive handling of paint, Chia transforms an ordinary landscape into a vivid and evocative celebration of place and light.