LOT 76
Long Thien Shih
B. Selangor, 1946
Reclining Figure “After Modigliani”, 2001
Signed and dated “Thien Shih 2001 April” on lower right
Pastel on paper
45 x 62 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 2,800 – RM 6,000
This captures the exquisiteness of the female body as his subject rests on a shadowy background. The face is devoid of any details, as the artists wishes to focus only on the exceptionality of the female body – its shapes, contours, flesh and skin, highlighting the differences of the female species compared to that of the male. It a measurement of how familiar an artist is with his own techniques, apart from being an artistic exploration by itself. During the Renaissance times when humanism flourished, artists drew many a nude sketch or painting, as they were more fascinated with humanity more than divinity.
Long Thien Shih studied art in Atelier 17 and Atelier de Lithographic, Ecole Nationale Superlure des Beaux-Arts, both in Paris. Thereafter, he studied at the Royal College of Art in London. He has won awards such as the First Prize in the 1961 Young Malayan Artists Competition in Kuala Lumpur and the 1992 Prints Prize in Salon Malaysia and has produced many artworks, using various mediums.