Lee Man Fong

Acquired directly from the artist
Private Collection, Switzerland

The work is in good condition overall, as is the board, which is free from warping. There is light wear and handling around the edges of the painting, but paint layers are well-preserved. Upon close observation, a pin-sized paint loss is visible beneath the bottom stamp of the artist. Under ultraviolet light inspection reveals a thin hairline restoration along the very top of the right border (background), a faint network of brown media accretion near the top right corner (on the sky above the green roof and bamboo sticks). Framed.
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The 1950’s in China was a time of social revolution, with the decade marked by Mao Zedong’s great reformation that had a transformative effect on the country. The present painting Guangzhou is reflective of Lee Man Fong’s personal history. The artist was born in Guangzhou, and spent his adolescence there, before migrating to Singapore when he was three years old. It was decades later when Lee Man Fong returned to the city, this time joined by the Indonesian Chinese Artists’ Association for a five month tour around China. By featuring his hometown in the painting, Lee Man Fong may be reminiscing about his childhood, and the importance of his Chinese heritage that he wants to preserve.

Amidst the unstable political climate of this period, Lee Man Fong was able to capture the serenity and tranquility of a street scene in Guangzhou. The artist’s style in the work is a pairing of refined calligraphic-like brushstrokes, with a selective color palette. He was mentored by prominent artists who influenced his growth as a painter. A notable mentor was Qi Baishi, a self-taught artist, and proficient in ink paintings. Under the master artisan’s tutorage, Lee Man Fong learnt traditional Chinese ink painting techniques, which gave him the confidence to develop his own skills through further experimentation, while refining his knowledge of ink as a medium.

Within the present piece differences between the foreground and background scenes. Lee Man Fong has divided the landscape with a deliberate interplay of colors, intensity of brushstrokes, as well as detail given to depth and perspective in the painting. The artist’s choice of oil as a medium further reflects his Western influences. This pairing of foreign mediums with Eastern aesthetics marked a transition, and maturity in the artist’s chosen styles, with Lee Man Fong experimenting with different tools, while he explored new subject matters in his artworks.

Gaungzhou is a significant piece by the artist, and bears testimony to Lee Man Fong’s creative identity as a pioneer in Southeast Asian modern art. For his "... paintings convey a gentle touch through mastery of technique, [and are demonstrative of his] vigorous style of Western painting techniques and unique rendition imbued with and oriental flavour.”¹

¹Koes Karnadi, Angus Dermawan T, Modern Indonesian Art From Raden Saleh to the Present Day, Koes Artbooks, Indonesia, 2006, P. 42