LOT 86
MOHD HOESSEIN ENAS, DATO’
B. Indonesia, 1924 – 1995
Satay Seller, 1949
Oil on canvas
63.5 x 46 cm
Signed and dated “Hoessein ‘49” on lower right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 38,000 – 75,000
Born in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1924, Hoessein Enas settled in Malaya in 1947 and quickly emerged as a pioneering figure in the nation’s artistic development. Revered as the “Father of Malaysian Portrait Painting,” he became renowned for his masterful portrayals of local people, particularly Malays, rendered with exceptional technical skill and human warmth. A founding member of the Angkatan Pelukis Semenanjung (APS) in 1956, Hoessein played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of modern Malaysian art, while his portraits came to embody the cultural identity of a youngnation.
Painted in 1949, just two years after the artist’s arrival in Malaya, Satay Seller belongs to an exceptionally important early period in Hoessein Enas’ career, when he was capturing scenes of ordinary life with remarkable authenticity and sensitivity. Unlike his later, more formal portrait commissions, this work reflects his early fascination with the everyday people who formed the social fabric of the country. Rich in historical significance and artistic merit, Satay Seller stands as a compelling testament to Hoessein Enas’ enduring legacy and represents a rare opportunity to acquire an early masterpiece by one of Malaysia’s greatest modern artists.