Chen Wen Hsi, Untitled (Bukit Timah Hill), Undated
Ink and colour on paper
32 x 31.5 cm (visible), 49.5 x 49.5 x 1 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good
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Chen Wen Hsi 陈文希 (Singaporean, 1906-1991) was a prominent Singaporean artist known for his innovative blend of traditional Chinese and modern Western painting styles. Born in Guangdong, China, he studied at the Shanghai College of Fine Arts and moved to Singapore in 1949. A key figure in the Nanyang art movement, Chen's work is celebrated for its dynamic brushwork and diverse subjects. He also taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, leaving a lasting impact on Singapore’s art scene. His legacy lives on through his celebrated works and contributions to art education.
The composition reflects Chen’s remarkable ability to synthesise his dual mastery of traditional Chinese ink painting and Western oil painting. While his ink works are deeply rooted in centuries of Chinese artistic traditions, his oil paintings reveal his engagement with modern Western movements, particularly Cubism and Fauvism, through their abstraction, structural treatment, and expressive use of colour. The abstracted landscape is believed to depict Bukit Timah Hill, located north of Kingsmead Road, where the artist resided — a familiar landscape transformed through Chen’s distinctive visual language.
Acquired from Shen Art Gallery, Singapore.
(Photographed in June 2026)
Artwork located in: Singapore