LOT 25
CHEN WEN HSI
B. China, 1906 – 1991
Two Ducks
Chinese ink and watercolour on paper
34 x 44 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed and stamped with artist seal on the upper left side of the painting
RM 28,000 – 45,000
Chen Wen Hsi was adept at both traditional Chinese ink and Western oil painting. His Western-style works in the early 1950’s were realistic depictions infused with post- impressionistic and expressionistic elements. He experimented with various styles and techniques ranging from Fauvism to Cubism as well as acrylic, viscous paints and sand on canvas. His art evolved over time and transformed from simplified forms and strong colours to cubism, and later abstraction. In this masterpiece, Chen Wen Hsi illustrates his abstract mastery using ink and colour on paper in a more vibrant manner through his interpretation of two white and brown-feathered ducks in its natural state of habitation. You can see a more Western influence in the painting in comparison to his other graceful works. Nevertheless, his depiction of the ducks is proof of his exquisite multi-technique talent.