LOT 66
CHUAH THEAN TENG, DATO
B. China, 1914 – 2008
Fishermen
Batik
55 x 45 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed “Teng” on lower left
RM 8,500 – 12,000
Known as the Father of Batik Painting in Malaysia, Dato Chuah Thean Teng earned his stripes from his use of batik as a medium of fine art since 1953. Although batik painting has been around for hundreds of years, it is remarkable that no one before Teng had ever thought of adapting this age-old craft as a medium of fine art. His artistic proclivities include landscapes, people and even animals, often a cultural education of the way of life in a particular community, their relationships and beliefs. For this piece, the fishing community inspires Teng. The subjects are ever so focused on their jobs, retrieving their catch from the sea at sunrise, conveying diligence and the repetitive daily lives of fishermen.