Chia Yu Chian Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Chia Yu Chian Art Value Price Guide

Oct. 05, 2024
MALAYSIAN CITYSCAPE OIL PAINTING BY YU CHIAN CHIA
Est: $100 - $150
Yu Chian Chia, Malaysian, 1936 to 1991, oil painting on canvas depicting a cityscape, 1961. Signed and dated, lower right. Framed. Chia Yu Chian was a distinguished Malaysian artist who sedulously applied characteristically Western bold brushstrokes along with Asian aesthetics in his work. He was educated in Singapore and graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts NAFA. As a second generation Nanyang artist, Chia was influenced by the works of Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng and Georgette Chen. Modern Asian Fine Art, Cityscape Oil Paintings, Wall Art, and Collectibles. One of a kind artwork.
Antique Arena Inc
Sep. 27, 2024
CHIA YU CHIAN (1936 1991). Penang Festival.
Est: $400,000 - $600,000
CHIA YU CHIAN (1936 1991). Penang Festival. oil on board 121 x 182 cm. (47 5⁄8 x 71 5⁄8 in.).
Christie's
Aug. 25, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Reclining Beauty, 1985
Est: RM35,000 - RM60,000
Chia Yu Chian comes off inadvertently as the champion of the impoverished and downtrodden, and in his Hospital Series, the weak and infirmed. His art was Social Realism, on the common people, especially around his Selangor Mansion apartment cum gallery in Jalan Masjid India, which he captured with great compassion and perceptiveness. But he is best remembered for his Parisien oeuvre when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, in an extended stay from 1959 to 1963 - the first Malayan/Singaporean to be given a French Government scholarship. He had stayed at the bohemian Montmartre, at the Rue de la Charbonniere (District 8) and also at the Latin Quarters of Sorbonne in Paris. The Malaysian National Art Gallery has several of his Parisien rooftop topography, although his most memorable masterpiece is Election Fever (1978). His mentor, the renowned French art educator Professor M.Chaplain Midy, described him as "a painstaking, hardworking and exceptionally promising young painter" and during his early sojourn in Singapore, Professor Michael Sullivan dubbed him "the essential Malayan artist". Notable also are 1) He came under the personal tutelage of Chen Wen-hsi and Chen Chong Swee, but he never studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore; 2) At age 17, in 1953, his painting was bought by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Britain in Southeast Asia (which was later donated to Universiti Malaya); 3) He was commissioned to do a 3 meter x 2 meter mural for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962); 4) He met Pablo Picasso, and did a sketch of him, and Picasso himself gave it a cachet of approval by singing his name on it. He had intoned: "Art must not only be imbued with beauty and colour; it must be imbued with life and spirit to reflect the mood and tempo of the times." NOTE: Chia Yu Chian has 13 works in the National Art Gallery collection.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 25, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Teacher At Work, 1975
Est: RM30,000 - RM55,000
Chia Yu Chian comes off inadvertently as the champion of the impoverished and downtrodden, and in his Hospital Series, the weak and infirmed. His art was Social Realism, on the common people, especially around his Selangor Mansion apartment cum gallery in Jalan Masjid India, which he captured with great compassion and perceptiveness. But he is best remembered for his Parisien oeuvre when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, in an extended stay from 1959 to 1963 - the first Malayan/Singaporean to be given a French Government scholarship. He had stayed at the bohemian Montmartre, at the Rue de la Charbonniere (District 8) and also at the Latin Quarters of Sorbonne in Paris. The Malaysian National Art Gallery has several of his Parisien rooftop topography, although his most memorable masterpiece is Election Fever (1978). His mentor, the renowned French art educator Professor M.Chaplain Midy, described him as "a painstaking, hardworking and exceptionally promising young painter" and during his early sojourn in Singapore, Professor Michael Sullivan dubbed him "the essential Malayan artist". Notable also are 1) He came under the personal tutelage of Chen Wen-hsi and Chen Chong Swee, but he never studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore; 2) At age 17, in 1953, his painting was bought by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Britain in Southeast Asia (which was later donated to Universiti Malaya); 3) He was commissioned to do a 3 meter x 2 meter mural for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962); 4) He met Pablo Picasso, and did a sketch of him, and Picasso himself gave it a cachet of approval by singing his name on it. He had intoned: "Art must not only be imbued with beauty and colour; it must be imbued with life and spirit to reflect the mood and tempo of the times." NOTE: Chia Yu Chian has 13 works in the National Art Gallery collection.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 25, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Drawing, 1973
Est: RM32,000 - RM55,000
Chia Yu Chian comes off inadvertently as the champion of the impoverished and downtrodden, and in his Hospital Series, the weak and infirmed. His art was Social Realism, on the common people, especially around his Selangor Mansion apartment cum gallery in Jalan Masjid India, which he captured with great compassion and perceptiveness. But he is best remembered for his Parisien oeuvre when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, in an extended stay from 1959 to 1963 - the first Malayan/Singaporean to be given a French Government scholarship. He had stayed at the bohemian Montmartre, at the Rue de la Charbonniere (District 8) and also at the Latin Quarters of Sorbonne in Paris. The Malaysian National Art Gallery has several of his Parisien rooftop topography, although his most memorable masterpiece is Election Fever (1978). His mentor, the renowned French art educator Professor M.Chaplain Midy, described him as "a painstaking, hardworking and exceptionally promising young painter" and during his early sojourn in Singapore, Professor Michael Sullivan dubbed him "the essential Malayan artist". Notable also are 1) He came under the personal tutelage of Chen Wen-hsi and Chen Chong Swee, but he never studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore; 2) At age 17, in 1953, his painting was bought by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Britain in Southeast Asia (which was later donated to Universiti Malaya); 3) He was commissioned to do a 3 meter x 2 meter mural for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962); 4) He met Pablo Picasso, and did a sketch of him, and Picasso himself gave it a cachet of approval by singing his name on it. He had intoned: "Art must not only be imbued with beauty and colour; it must be imbued with life and spirit to reflect the mood and tempo of the times." NOTE: Chia Yu Chian has 13 works in the National Art Gallery collection.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 25, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Playing The Bamboo Pipe, 1981
Est: RM32,000 - RM55,000
Chia Yu Chian comes off inadvertently as the champion of the impoverished and downtrodden, and in his Hospital Series, the weak and infirmed. His art was Social Realism, on the common people, especially around his Selangor Mansion apartment cum gallery in Jalan Masjid India, which he captured with great compassion and perceptiveness. But he is best remembered for his Parisien oeuvre when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, in an extended stay from 1959 to 1963 - the first Malayan/Singaporean to be given a French Government scholarship. He had stayed at the bohemian Montmartre, at the Rue de la Charbonniere (District 8) and also at the Latin Quarters of Sorbonne in Paris. The Malaysian National Art Gallery has several of his Parisien rooftop topography, although his most memorable masterpiece is Election Fever (1978). His mentor, the renowned French art educator Professor M.Chaplain Midy, described him as "a painstaking, hardworking and exceptionally promising young painter" and during his early sojourn in Singapore, Professor Michael Sullivan dubbed him "the essential Malayan artist". Notable also are 1) He came under the personal tutelage of Chen Wen-hsi and Chen Chong Swee, but he never studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore; 2) At age 17, in 1953, his painting was bought by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Britain in Southeast Asia (which was later donated to Universiti Malaya); 3) He was commissioned to do a 3 meter x 2 meter mural for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962); 4) He met Pablo Picasso, and did a sketch of him, and Picasso himself gave it a cachet of approval by singing his name on it. He had intoned: "Art must not only be imbued with beauty and colour; it must be imbued with life and spirit to reflect the mood and tempo of the times." NOTE: Chia Yu Chian has 13 works in the National Art Gallery collection.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 25, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Pangkor Island, 1958
Est: RM28,000 - RM52,000
Chia Yu Chian comes off inadvertently as the champion of the impoverished and downtrodden, and in his Hospital Series, the weak and infirmed. His art was Social Realism, on the common people, especially around his Selangor Mansion apartment cum gallery in Jalan Masjid India, which he captured with great compassion and perceptiveness. But he is best remembered for his Parisien oeuvre when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, in an extended stay from 1959 to 1963 - the first Malayan/Singaporean to be given a French Government scholarship. He had stayed at the bohemian Montmartre, at the Rue de la Charbonniere (District 8) and also at the Latin Quarters of Sorbonne in Paris. The Malaysian National Art Gallery has several of his Parisien rooftop topography, although his most memorable masterpiece is Election Fever (1978). His mentor, the renowned French art educator Professor M.Chaplain Midy, described him as "a painstaking, hardworking and exceptionally promising young painter" and during his early sojourn in Singapore, Professor Michael Sullivan dubbed him "the essential Malayan artist". Notable also are 1) He came under the personal tutelage of Chen Wen-hsi and Chen Chong Swee, but he never studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore; 2) At age 17, in 1953, his painting was bought by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Britain in Southeast Asia (which was later donated to Universiti Malaya); 3) He was commissioned to do a 3 meter x 2 meter mural for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962); 4) He met Pablo Picasso, and did a sketch of him, and Picasso himself gave it a cachet of approval by singing his name on it. He had intoned: "Art must not only be imbued with beauty and colour; it must be imbued with life and spirit to reflect the mood and tempo of the times." NOTE: Chia Yu Chian has 13 works in the National Art Gallery collection.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 18, 2024
CHIA YU CHIAN : Good Morning - Notre Dame Cathedral, 1959
Est: RM18,000 - RM32,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and graduated in 1958. He was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris and was commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural painting called Life in Malaysia. He received a Honourable Mention by the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francaise.
KLAS Art Auction
Jan. 14, 2024
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Untitled
Est: RM10,000 - RM18,000
Perceptive towards the people and their surroundings, the social and cultural activities of the early days were deftly portrayed by Chia Yu Chian. A group of women at rest under the shade of trees were interpreted according to the artist's unique perception, fully capturing the character of the subject. Set against a garden with foliage of all sorts, the work hints at the relationship between human and nature. Chia Yu Chian was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia's Creative Centre (September to November, 2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts called Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang, although he was not a NAFA alumni. He was mentioned in Dolores Wharton's seminal Malaysian art book, Contemporary Artists of Malaysia (1971) and Dr. Michael Sullivan's Chinese Art of the 20th Century (1965). On his return to Malaysia from Paris, he had a phenomenal sold-out solo exhibition at the British Council Penang. All 110 paintings were sold, raising a total of RM12,000, a princely sum then.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Sep. 24, 2023
CHIA YU CHIAN : Petaling Street KL, 1981
Est: RM25,000 - RM35,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and graduated in 1958. He was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris and was commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural painting called Life in Malaysia. He received a Honourable Mention by the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francais. This work, illustrating the street scene of Petaling Street was executed in Chia’s maverick manner. The artist captured the venue during its heyday, where the street was lined with food stalls, canopied by umbrellas. The buildings exude a nostalgic and dated quality to them, with clothes hung to dry and marketing banners blanketing its facade.
KLAS Art Auction
Jun. 25, 2023
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - 1991) Tower Bridge, London, 1960
Est: RM7,000 - RM12,000
This is a change from Chia Yu Chian's depictions of urban life and vistas of Paris (1959-1962) that had collectors smitten. The aerial panoramic view of the Tower Bridge must have been done in 1960 when Yu Chian was given a solo in London. The view is done from a distance taking in the topography on the left bank. This, not the typical Yu-chian's trademark realism with a touch of Nanyang romanticism either or his chilli-hot Fauvist colour mix. The strokes are splotchy with the cluster of buildings including Big Ben rendered in thin linearity and dilute washes, and the wide expanse of the River Thames left in white or with smudges and with a few barges here and there, all funnelling towards the landmark Tower Bridge. The bascule suspension bridge is prominently aloft, for access to passing ships. Chia Yu Chian's art career reads like a fairy tale. After an informal tutelage by two great Singapore artists Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng, he got a French Government scholarship, the first in the Straits Settlement, to study at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris, in 1959 graduating in 1962. On his return, he held a solo at the British Council in Penang where all 110 paintings were sold out. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions an unprecedented 15 times, a few even with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). He was also commissioned for the grand mural, Life In Malaysia, at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris. Apart from solos in Paris, at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, he also exhibited in London (Britain), Hanover (West Germany), India and Thailand. He was honoured with a Memorial exhibition by The Art Gallery Penang (1997), the Malaysian National Art Gallery (2002), and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 2009 (Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang) although he was not a NAFA alumni. He was mentioned in Dolores D. Wharton's seminal Contemporary Artists of Malaysia book.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Dec. 04, 2022
CHIA YU CHIAN | To Stitch Up
Est: S$4,000 - S$6,000
51.5 x 29 cm; 63 x 39.5 cm (with frame) oil on canvas signed and dated 'Yu Chian 73' lower left; inscribed '75 'To Stitch up' 1973', and signed again in Chinese verso 謝玉謙《慈母手中线》1973 年作油彩画布款识：Yu Chian 73 (右下); 75 'To Stitch up' 1973 ‘慈母手中线’ (画背) Bid online at https://auctions.33auction.com/lots/view/1-6R6GQQ/chia-yu-chian-to-stitch-up
33 Auction
Nov. 27, 2022
CHIA YU CHIAN : Still Life - Flower, 1979
Est: RM8,000 - RM16,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was also commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural called ‘Life in Malaysia’. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few with honorary mentions by the Salon des Independent and Société des Artistes Francais. This simple yet elegant painting of flowers in a vase displays Chia’s skills by using different textures, hues and shades. Artworks by the artist are collected by the institutions in Malaysia and Singapore
KLAS Art Auction
Nov. 06, 2022
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - 1990) Untitled, 1974
Est: RM20,000 - RM35,000
A woman reading and writing is a given today, but in pre-Merdeka days, conservative families discouraged their daughters from going to school, what more venturing outdoors. This 1974 work of an older woman reading resonates with another by Chia Yu Chian in 1977, when he depicted a schoolgirl reading a book. Reading nourishes the mind. This notion of gender equality had also to do sensitively, in part, to old religious strictures, what with gender segregation in certain States in Malaya. It is significant that in August 1997, Malaysia ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (with reservations). Chia's portrait of a matured woman on an armchair looking up in a reading respite, exuded calm, and as if reflecting on what she had read so far. The stirring thought process is what books can do to the reader, male or female. Chia Yu Chian made his mark in Paris, when he was given a French Government scholarship, to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in February 1959-1962. In Paris, he had the distinction of his works being accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few even with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). Apart from solos in Paris (Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris), he also exhibited in London (Britain) and Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. In Paris, he was commissioned to do a grand mural titled, Life In Malaysia for the Malaysian Embassy. Although he held a successful solo exhibition on his return, at the British Council in Penang, his major exhibitions were at the National Art Gallery (1989), Kuala Lumpur; the Memorial Exhibition at The Art Gallery, Penang (1997); the Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang exhibition (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, 2009), the grand exhibition held by the family, Chia Yu Chian Enlivened (Selangor-Federal Territory Chinese Assembly Hall, 2017); and Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives (Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, 2019).
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Nov. 06, 2022
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - 1990) Mountainous Landscape, 1957
Est: RM25,000 - RM45,000
In the summit of a parched hilly terrain, why is a horizontal band of red with underlying white garishly straddling the backdrop, what is it? A shorter band with white on top of the red lies on a lower elevation on the left. Your guess is as good as anybody's but even pre-Paris, Chia Yu Chian was not one to keep to colour stereotypes. Nor can one identify with a degree of certainty the craggy heights, though unusual in shapes. The general colour palette was dull, and the feeling exuded raw, with an air of innocence. It was at a time, between 1957-1959, when Yu Chian traversed the length and breadth of Malaya and Singapore to paint landscapes, and unheralded villages. Much of the land was still undeveloped, and sparsely inhabited, with parched tree silhouettes. Human abodes, if any, were likely topped with attap or zinc, and any footpath discernible would be the oft-trodden ones. Chia Yu Chian made his mark in Paris, when he was given a French Government scholarship, to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in February 1959-1962. In Paris, he had the distinction of his works being accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few even with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). Apart from solos in Paris (Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris), he also exhibited in London (Britain) and Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. In Paris, he was commissioned to do a grand mural titled, Life In Malaysia for the Malaysian Embassy. Although he held a successful solo exhibition on his return, at the British Council in Penang, his major exhibitions were at the National Art Gallery (1989), Kuala Lumpur; the Memorial Exhibition at The Art Gallery, Penang (1997); the Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang exhibition (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, 2009), the grand exhibition held by the family, Chia Yu Chian Enlivened (Selangor-Federal Territory Chinese Assembly Hall, 2017); and Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives (Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, 2019).
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Aug. 21, 2022
CHIA YU CHIAN | Abstract (Landscape)
Est: Rp35,000,000 - Rp50,000,000
54 x 44.5 cm; 67.5 x 57.5 cm (with frame) watercolour and pastel on paper, framed signed in English lower right 謝玉謙《抽象（风景）》水彩粉彩纸本镜框
33 Auction
Dec. 05, 2021
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - d. 1991) Paris
Est: RM25,000 - RM45,000
Chia Yu Chian has won legions of admirers for his paintings of street life, kampung life, the downtrodden people, Grey’s Anatomy-like hospital series and most of all, the Parisian scenes. Here, he tackles the topography of the rooftops, like a large piece which is in the National Art Gallery Malaysia collection, but this is imbued with the starkness of winter, thus the harsh icy cerulean blue spread with a forest of chimney tops which help kept the building occupants warm. Yu Chian had one other winter painting, Windmill In Winter (1961), in the past Henry Butcher art auction. In Paris, at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts (1959-1962) no less, on a French Government scholarship, he was remarkably accepted for exhibitions in Paris a record 15 times, a few with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). He was also given solos in Paris, at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, apart from one in London (Britain) and another in Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. He was also commissioned for a grand mural at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris. In Paris, he stayed at 20, Rue du Sommerard in the Latin Quarters and then 28, Rue de la Charbonnere in Montmarte. Chia Yu Chian was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia’s Creative Centre (2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts called Chia Yu-Chian In Nanyang, although he was not a NAFA alumni. He was mentioned in Dolores Wharton’s seminal Malaysian art book, Contemporary Artists of Malaysia (1971) and Dr. Michael Sullivan’s Chinese Art of the 20th Century (1965). On his return to Malaysia from Paris, he had a phenomenal sold-out solo exhibition at the British Council Penang. All 110 paintings were sold, raising a total of RM12,000, a princely sum then. In 2019, Ilham Gallery organised the exhibition Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives, showcasing 160 of his paintings from the late 1960s until his passing in 1990.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Oct. 03, 2021
CHIA YU CHIAN : Still Life - Flower, 1979
Est: RM14,000 - RM25,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was also commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural called ‘Life in Malaysia’. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few with honorary mentions by the Salon des Independent and Société des Artistes Francais. This simple yet elegant painting of flowers in a vase displays Chia’s skills by using different textures, hues and shades.
KLAS Art Auction
Mar. 21, 2021
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - d. Kuala Lumpur, 1991) Untitled
Est: RM9,000 - RM16,000
This still life with flowers arranged in a pearlish creamy vase is beautifully seated against a muted colour combination background. The painting looks very classy as the artist succeeds in creating an elegant composition of lights and colours. It is indeed a pleasing sight worth admiring for. Chia Yu Chian was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the Malaysian National Art Gallery’s Creative Centre (September to November, 2002), a 2009 exhibition hosted by Nanyang Academy of Fine Art called Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang, although he was not a NAFA alumni; and a 2019 show titled Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives at Ilham Gallery. He was mentioned in Dolores Wharton’s seminal Malaysian art book, Contemporary Artists of Malaysia (1971) and Dr. Michael Sullivan’s Chinese Art of the 20th Century (1965). On his return to Malaysia from Paris, he had a phenomenal sold-out solo exhibition at the British Council Penang. All 110 paintings were sold, raising a total of RM12,000, a princely sum then.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Nov. 15, 2020
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - d. Kuala Lumpur, 1991) Untitled (Scenery)
Est: RM25,000 - RM50,000
Time was when it was a golden blessings to own a house by the seaside, surrounded by vegetation and a stream or two beside, for good measure. It was deemed a status symbol to be able to afford such a sanctuary, far from the madding crowd. So it must have been, during Chia Yu Chian’s lifetime and when he painted this idyllic seaside scene. The dream seaside bungalow is a splendid retreat for the weary city-dwellers and a blessed retirement home for those who have made a tidy pile in their younger days. One could feel the serenity, the calm and peaceful mood that this artwork brings. Chia Yu Chian, French chic and pipe-smoking et al, is an auction darling. He boasts of strong career-path credentials. He received a French Government grant, the first in the Straits Settlement, to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1959. He was to study at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), but only had informal art tutelage under Chen Wen Hsi. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions a record 15 times, with a few with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). Apart from solos in Paris, at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, he also exhibited in London (Britain) and Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. All 110 paintings in his first solo celebrating his homecoming at the British Council in Penang in 1962 were sold out! He did a mural titled Life In Malaysia for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris. He was given Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997), the National Art Gallery Malaysia (2002), and NAFA called Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang (2009). Ilham Gallery presented a good exhibition on Chia Yu Chian too, probably the best show among all.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Nov. 08, 2020
CHIA YU CHIAN : Emerald Temple, Bangkok, 1972
Est: RM19,000 - RM30,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. The ‘Emerald Temple, Bangkok’ is a depiction of Chia’s fascination with the architecture of Buddhist temples. The stupa takes precedence in the foreground, capturing the antics of devotees at the temple. The gold hues decorating the stupa against the emerald-looking skies to announce the scene’s beauty and capacity. Early this year, from Feb 17 to June 23, Ilham paid homage to the late artist through an exhibition entitled, Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives. The exhibition focused on the last decades of the artist’s practice, showcasing his paintings from the late 1960’s until his passing in 1991.
KLAS Art Auction
Sep. 06, 2020
CHIA YU CHIAN : Paris Street Scene, 1962
Est: RM25,000 - RM55,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and graduated in 1958. He was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris and was commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural painting called Life in Malaysia. He received a Honourable Mention by the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francaise. This work, illustrating the street scene of Paris was executed in Chia’s maverick manner. The scene of the painting is at nightfall hence the employment of darker hues to portray the night sky. At the centre of this piece, the Parisian bistros’ sun shade are painted in red, with hints of yellow to illustrate light from the eatery.
KLAS Art Auction
Aug. 23, 2020
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - d. 1991) Paris
Est: RM31,000 - RM55,000
Chia Yu Chian has won legions of admirers for his paintings of street life, kampung life, the downtrodden people, Grey’s Anatomy-like hospital series and most of all, the Parisian scenes. Here, he tackles the topography of the rooftops, like a large piece which is in the National Art Gallery Malaysia collection, but this is imbued with the starkness of winter, thus the harsh icy cerulean blue spread with a forest of chimney tops which help kept the building occupants warm. Yu Chian had one other winter painting, Windmill In Winter (1961), in the past Henry Butcher auction. In Paris, at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts (1959-1962) no less, on a French Government scholarship, he was remarkably accepted for exhibitions in Paris a record 15 times, a few with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). He was also given solos in Paris, at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, apart from one in London (Britain) and another Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. He was also commissioned for a grand mural at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris. In Paris, he stayed at 20, Rue du Sommerard in the Latin Quarters and then 28, Rue de la Charbonnere in Montmarte. Chia Yu Chian was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the Malaysian National Art Gallery’s Creative Centre (September to November, 2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by Nanyang Academy of Fine Art called Chia Yu-Chian In Nanyang, although he was not a NAFA alumni. He was mentioned in Dolores Wharton’s seminal Malaysian art book, Contemporary Artists of Malaysia (1971) and Dr. Michael Sullivan’s Chinese Art of the 20th Century (1965). On his return to Malaysia from Paris, he had a phenomenal sold-out solo exhibition at the British Council Penang. All 110 paintings were sold, raising a total of RM12,000, a princely sum then.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Jul. 12, 2020
CHIA YU CHIAN : Flowers, 1982
Est: RM12,000 - RM18,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was also commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural called ‘Life in Malaysia’. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few with honorary mentions by the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francaise. This simple yet elegant painting of flowers in a vase displays Chia’s skills by using different textures, hues and shades.
KLAS Art Auction
Jul. 12, 2020
CHIA YU CHIAN : The Wooden Bridge, December 1969
Est: RM7,000 - RM12,000
Chia Yu Chian was a distinguished Malaysian artist who employed characteristically Western bold brushstrokes along with Asian aesthetics in his work. Having graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he further pursued his art education at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts de Paris as the first artist from the Straits Settlement. Inspired by the works of Cheong Soo Pieng and Chen Wen Hsi that featured Nanyang landscapes and scenes from daily life in Malaysia, the painter depicted vivid local scenes dedicated to his beautiful hometown. The present painting ‘The Wooden Bridge’ is a relatively early work by the artist, which highlights the contrasting colours and architectural design of an exhausted bridge in what looks like a fishing village. Warm colours like brown and yellow complement greyish hues, creating a sense of balance and serenity. Chia tended to focus solely on representing inanimate objects in his compositions, emphasising a noiseless tranquillity; although there are no human beings present in the painting, the structure lives through the portrayed colours and compact composition. Chia Yu Chian artworks can be seen in the art museums in Malaysia and Singapore
KLAS Art Auction
Mar. 15, 2020
Chia Yu Chian (b. Johor, 1936 - d. Kuala Lumpur, 1990) Sisters, 1955
Est: RM42,000 - RM68,000
This work is a portrait of female bonding, sisters, in good relationship. One can tell the siblings are very closed, what they went through and how they supported each other, the good and bad times together, how their sisterhood was defined and tested. The patterns and cuts of their dresses / clothes betray a 1950s / 1960s period apart from the Fauvist spread. And you can almost hear the upbeat mood song, Ye Shanghai (Shanghai Night) originally sung by the great actress-songbird Zhou Xuan, blaring from a transistor radio in the background. Since the first Henry Butcher Art Auction in 2010, Chia Yu Chian has emerged as the perennial auction darling. He was the first in the Straits Settlement to have received a French Government scholarship to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris (1959-1962). He excelled himself there with rare (for an Asian then) honorary mentions in the Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise, apart from having been accepted for exhibitions a record 15 times, besides solos at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris in Paris. He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery (Kuala Lumpur, 2002). The Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) hosted a posthumous Chia Yu Chian in Nanyang exhibition in Singapore in 2009 (although he was not a NAFA alumni). He was commissioned to do a grand mural, Life In Malaysia for Malaysian High Commission in Paris, in 1962, and the same year, his homecoming solo at the British Council Penang saw all 110 paintings sold (for a total of RM12,000), and since then he had had solos all over Europe, Thailand and India. The exhibition Chia Yu Chian: Private Lifes held at Ilham Gallery last year was well organised, showcasing his paintings from the late 1960s until his passing in 1990.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Mar. 10, 2020
Yu Chian Chia Malaysian, 1936-1991 Street Scene, 1962
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Yu Chian Chia Malaysian, 1936-1991 Street Scene, 1962 Signed Yu Chian and dated 1962 (ul), artist's metal label affixed to stretcher, Yu Chian Art Gallery stamp on stretcher Oil on canvas 30 x 19 3/4 inches (76.2 x 50.16 cm) Provenance: Sale, Bonhams, San Francisco, Oct. 14, 2014, lot no. 6389 C
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Nov. 03, 2019
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - d. 1991) Wedding Night, late 1960s
Est: RM25,000 - RM45,000
Surprisingly, despite Chia Yu Chian’s exposure to Ooh-La-La Gay Paris, there are very few nudes in his repertoire, what more this done when back home since his return in 1962, although the exact place can’t be ascertained. The dark- skinned girl is all undressed sitting on the bed, with her head slightly tilted down perhaps a bit coy. A lampshade with the Chinese ‘Double Happiness’ inscription hints at a wedding night. Chia Yu Chian made a mark when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, Paris, in 1959-1962. There, he was accepted for exhibitions a record 15 times⁠ — no mean feat for an Asian, given the high stipulations and some even with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia (2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by NAFA called Chia Yu-Chian In Nanyang. His homecoming exhibition at the British Council was sold-out. He had also solos in Britain and West Germany. Earlier this year, Ilham Gallery organised the exhibition Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives, showcasing his paintings from the late 1960s to 1990.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Nov. 03, 2019
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - d. 1991) Untitled, 1959
Est: RM25,000 - RM45,000
Chia Yu Chian likes to use garish backgrounds of blues or red in his oeuvre in an apparent mock-Fauvist flourish. A typical scene of mak chik (women folk) chatting outside their Malay stilt houses before it gets dark, with their young children sitting on their laps. There’s the topography of typical coconut trees around, for shade as well as succour (juice and flesh) and materials (leaves for padded roofing). What is unusual in the foreground house is that there is an added attic hutment sticking out. The roof is not the typical attap-top or Minangkabau shape, anyway. Chia Yu Chian made a mark when he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, Paris, in 1959-1962. There, he was accepted for exhibitions a record 15 times⁠ — no mean feat for an Asian, given the high stipulations and some even with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia (2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by NAFA called Chia Yu-Chian In Nanyang. His homecoming exhibition at the British Council was sold-out. He had also solos in Britain and West Germany. Earlier this year, Ilham Gallery organised the exhibition Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives, showcasing his paintings from the late 1960s to 1990.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Sep. 29, 2019
CHIA YU CHIAN : Emerald Temple, Bangkok, 1972
Est: RM18,000 - RM25,000
"Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. The ´Emerald Temple, Bangkok is a depiction of Chias fascination with the architecture of Buddhist temples. The stupa takes precedence in the foreground, capturing the antics of devotees at the temple. The gold hues decorating the stupa against the emerald-looking skies announce the scenes beauty and capacity. Early this year, from Feb 17 to June 23, Ilham Gallery paid homage to the late artist through an exhibition entitled, Chia Yu Chian: Private Lives. The exhibition focused on the last decades of the artists practice, showcasing his paintings from the late 1960s until his passing in 1990."
KLAS Art Auction
Jun. 30, 2019
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - d. 1991) Village, 1977
Est: RM23,000 - RM40,000
It’s obvious women are given weightage by Chia Yu Chian putting the three figures in the lower foreground triangle of the painting - the mother shouldering a pole with two pots on either side and a child in a cloth straddle over her back (mother-and-child theme), the housewife women walking diagonally towards viewer, and the worker woman in strawhat carrying a pole with two bundles of produce walking diagonally from the bottom left. Three divisions of domestic power in the patch on higher ground overlooking a ramshackled row of attap or zinc topped houses cutting diagonally across the composition with a large tract of land on the right and a hill framing the sky on the left half. Yu Chian was a painter of the ordinary people in makeshift villages or new urban clusters or public buildings. He was rarely interested in open spaces as landscapes per see, but one defined by people even as passers-by. Chia Yu Chian was among the earliest Malayan to be educated, on a French Government scholarship, at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris (1959-1962), where he did a mural commissioned called Life In Malaysia for the Malayan Embassy in Paris. In Paris, he had two solos (Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris) and received Honourable Mentions in the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francaise Societe des Artistes Francaise, and his works were accepted an unprecedented 15 times in exhibitions. On his return, all his 110 paintings in his solo at the British Council, Penang, were sold out. He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia (September to November, 2002), and a Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang exhibition by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) in Singapore in 2009, although he was not strictly a NAFA alumni. Ilham Gallery in first half of 2019 presented his exhibition, it was a very successful show, eye-opening experiences for visitors.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Apr. 01, 2019
CHIA YU CHIAN | Tin Mine
Est: $120,000 - $180,000
Oil on Board
Sotheby's
Mar. 24, 2019
Chia Yu Chian (b. 1936 - d. 1991) Untitled, c. 1950s
Est: RM35,000 - RM55,000
Before receiving formal education in Paris, Chia Yu Chian derived pleasure in the local landscapes and as he preferred more, poor urban settlements like this slum in Kuala Lumpur. The population in Kuala Lumpur accelerated at least two fold less than a decade before independence, but with grave shortage of proper housing, poor or non-existent infrastructure and the new city dwellers generally economically challenged, crowded slums were the norm. Shanty wooden houses with odd canopies sprouted like bad mushrooms around markets and business premises. Footpaths were untarred and haphazard, street lamps were far and few in between, though backlanes seemed wider to facilitate the work of night-soil carriers. Itâs safe to estimate that this work was done in the first half of 1950s, before he received a French Government grant, the first in the Straits Settlement, to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1959. But Johor-born Yu Chian was to settle in Kuala Lumpur after his return from Paris in 1962. He bought a place in Selangor Mansion after a sold-out first Malaysian solo of 110 paintings at British Council, Penang in 1962. Chia Yu Chian proved a huge success in Paris. He was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, including receiving honorary mentions in the Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise. He was also given solos by the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, besides solos in London (England), Bonn and Hanover (West Germany), and after Europe in Thailand and India. He was also commissioned to do a mural, âLife In Malaysia,â at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (1962). He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (September to November 2002), and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art in Singapore hosted âChia Yu Chian in Nanyangâ in 2009, although he is not a NAFA alumni. 43 x 61cm
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Feb. 24, 2019
CHIA YU CHIAN : The Wooden Bridge, December 1969
Est: RM8,000 - RM12,000
Born in Johor in 1936, Chia Yu Chian studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and graduated in 1958. He was known for being the first artist from the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government scholarship at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris and was commissioned by the Malaysian High Commission in Paris to paint a mural called âLife in Malaysiaâ. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few with honorary mentions by the Salon des Independent and Societe des Artistes Francaise. These achievements are deemed very impressive as his only art background then was an informal guidance under another renowned artist, Chen Wen Hsi. Throughout his career, Chia had numerous solo exhibitions and his artworks are found in the collection of various private collectors around the world, be they individuals or institutions. More impressively, prominent dignitaries such as the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman and politician Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu had attended his art exhibitions. Most of Chiaâs artworks were oil paintings and once in a while, he would resort to pastel, ink and watercolour medium. In the 1950âs, he painted mainly village sceneries, landscapes and people going about their daily routine, seen in âThe Wooden Bridgeâ.
KLAS Art Auction
Oct. 28, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN (b. 1936 - d. 1991) Untitled, 1956
Est: RM30,000 - RM50,000
It was 1956, when the then Malaya was on the cusp of Independence. In Malay settlements, the stilt houses were still ubiquitous among a topography of coconut trees and banana trees. While the houses might be clustered close together, there is an unpaved path although vehicles are absent, with not even bicycles in sight. The houses further inside seem to have dispensed with the upraised stilts. Probably everyone stays at home, having good quality time with family members, thus no one is spotted outdoor. Chia Yu Chian was the first in the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government grant to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1959 (he graduated in 1962). All 110 paintings in his first homecoming solo exhibition at the British Council in Penang in 1962 were sold out. He had the distinction of being accepted an unprecedented 15 times in exhibitions in Paris, including honorary mentions in the Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise and solos at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris in Paris. He also exhibited in London (Britain), Bonn and Hanover (West Germany). In 1962, he was commissioned to do a mural, Life In Malaysia, at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris. He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the Malaysian National Art Gallery (2002). In 2009, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) in Singapore hosted an exhibition called Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang, although he is not a NAFA alumni.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Sep. 23, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN : Emerald Temple, Bangkok, 1972
Est: RM18,000 - RM36,000
Chia was also fascinated with the architecture of Buddhist temples, especially one that vibes such archaic power like The Temple of Emerald. His masterpiece of The Emerald Buddha Temple, Bangkok, 1972 oil on canvas depicts a scene of what goes on in a day at the sacred temple. He captured people visiting the holy sanctuary and primarily focused on the stupa, a significant feature and the focal point of the temple. There is something about his choice of colours that sends a surge of good vibes. The bright sky, the golden stupas and figures in various coloured attire, he paints his subjects with spiritual optimism. In his own way, he connotes his experience of the culture and expressing them with colour palettes that not only highlight the people in the scenery but as well as the templeÕs divine and grandiose topography. What is most apparent is the contrast of the different elements from one feature or figure to another which makes the painting visually brighter and more lively. Indeed, Chia knew how to channel the feel of his own experience and at the same time, illustrating the celestial motif of The Emerald Temple impeccably.
KLAS Art Auction
May. 20, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN | Untitled
Est: S$7,000 - S$10,000
39 x 45 cm oil on masonite board, framed signed and dated 1958 lower right 謝玉謙《無題》1958 年作油彩畫布款識：yu chian 1958（右下）
33 Auction
May. 20, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN | Montmartre, Paris
Est: S$7,000 - S$10,000
74 x 54 cm oil on canvas, framed signed and dated 1961 Montmartre lower right 謝玉謙《蒙馬特，巴黎》1961 年作油彩畫布款識：yu chian Montmartre, 1961（右下）
33 Auction
Mar. 11, 2018
KAMPUNG LANDSCAPE (SET OF 2)
Est: RM55,000 - RM60,000
-
The Edge Auction
Mar. 11, 2018
WAVES
Est: RM9,000 - RM19,000
-
The Edge Auction
Feb. 04, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN | Harvesting
Est: S$30,000 - S$50,000
61 x 75 cm oil on masonite board, framed signed and dated 1964 upper right 謝玉謙《耕耘》1964 油彩纖維板款識：Yu Chian 1964（右上）
33 Auction
Feb. 04, 2018
CHIA YU CHIAN | Roses
Est: S$4,800 - S$5,800
41 x 26 cm oil on canvas signed and dated 1979 upper right; titled, signed and dated July 1979 verso 謝玉謙《玫瑰花》1979 油彩畫布款識：Yu Chian 1979（右上）'Roses' Yu Chian July 1979（背面）
33 Auction
Nov. 12, 2017
CHIA YU CHIAN (b. 1936 - d. 1991) 'THE BAN PO THAR PAGODA' AT 'KEH LOK SEE TEMPLE, PENANG', 1967, Oil on masonite board
Est: RM15,000 - RM25,000
The Kek Lok Si Temple, founded by Abbot Beow Lean, was an early landmark of Penang and has since its opening in 1905 become a major tourist attraction, especially since its seven-tiered pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas called Ban Po Thar opened in 1930. Standing some 30 metres high on Crane Mountain in Air Itam, the pagoda has a Chinese octagonal base with a Thai mid-section and a Burmese spiral dome. It was called King Rama IV Pagoda because the Thai king laid the foundation stone, while Thai King Bhumibol donated a large Buddha statue. Kek Lok Si literally means the ‘Temple of Ultimate Happiness.’ Every first 30 days of the Chinese lunar year, the whole temple complex is turned into a fairyland of lights and opened late at night for shutterbugs and selfies. Chia’s 1967 record shows a simple structure without later attractions. In 2002, visitors get to view an awesome 30.2metre bronze statue of the Guanyin complete with a massive 60.9 metre roof pavilion. Besides Chia, other early artists who have put it on their canvas are Yong Mun Sen, Tan Choon Ghee and Lee Joo For.Yu Chian was the first to receive a French Government grant for studies at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1959 (he graduated in 1962) despite not having any formal art education. The confidence was not misplaced, for he got accepted an unprecedented 15 times in exhibitions in Paris, including a few honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). Apart from solos in Paris (Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris), he also exhibited in London (Britain), Bonn and Hanover (West Germany). He had a grand mural commission entitled, Life in Malaysia, at the Malaysian Embassy in Paris in 1962. He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the Malaysian National Art Gallery (September to November, 2002). In 2009, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) in Singapore hosted an exhibition called ‘Chia Yu-Chian In Nanyang,’ although he is not a NAFA alumni.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
May. 28, 2017
CHIA YU CHIAN (MALAYSIA, 1936-1991) TO STITCH UP
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
CHIA YU CHIAN (MALAYSIA, 1936-1991) TO STITCH UP oil on canvas 52 x 30 cm. (20 1/2 x 11 3/4 in.)
Christie's
Apr. 23, 2017
CHIA YU CHIAN (b. 1936 - d. 1991) UNTITLED, 1959, Oil on canvas
Est: RM10,000 - RM18,000
This Chia Yu Chian work pays obvious homage to Henri Matisse (1869-1954), especially with the overpowering bright blue as in from Matisse’s Blue Nudes and cutouts. Yu Chian’s use of blue, however, had the temperate nature of the Mediterranean rather than the tropics. It was 1959, pre-Paris, before Yu Chian developed his own brand combining School of Paris chic with his Nanyang flavours – the same as Georgette Chen (1906-1993). The only other SinMa (Singapore-Malaysia) artist so influenced by Matisse was Liu Kang (1911-2004), for example the top half of his (Liu Kang’s) painting, Artist And The Model (1954). Yu Chian’s pre-Paris works mostly delved into local sceneries, landscapes, kampung life and activities. His works after he returned to Malaya nearly a decade later in 1963 were truly Fauvist but with elegance, and a composition and subject that were intrinsically local. Such was that his first solo, at the British Council in Kuala Lumpur, upon his return was nearly sold out, with a sales total of RM12,000 – a princely sum those days.The Singaporean curator cum writer Bridget Tracy Tan, however put Yu Chian’s art in the Nanyang mould “with a gentle distillation of established idioms to articulate a persistently catalytic Modernity, one that was shaping and would continue to shape, the communities of Nanyang and their interests over many more decades.”Yu Chian was the first in the Straits Settlement to receive a French Government grant to study at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1959. He then had only informal art tutelage under Chen Wen-Hsi. In Paris, he was accepted for exhibitions 15 times, a few with honorary mentions (Salon des Independents and the Societe des Artistes Francaise). Apart from solos in Paris, at the Galerie de Villiers and the Salon de Paris, he also exhibited in London (Britain) and Hanover (West Germany) in 1960. He was also commissioned to do a grand mural titled Life In Malaysia for the Malaysian Embassy in Paris (France), as well as portraits for various Malaysian government and political luminaries. He was honoured with Memorial exhibitions by The Art Gallery Penang (1997) and the National Art Gallery Malaysia (2002), and a 2009 exhibition hosted by Nanyang Academy of Fine Art called Chia Yu Chian In Nanyang.
Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers
Mar. 05, 2017
BUKIT TINGGI
Est: RM10,000 - RM15,000
Painting with frame
The Edge Auction
Jan. 21, 2017
CHIA YU CHIAN | Kampong Scene
Est: S$4,000 - S$6,000
42 x 35.5 cm oil on hardboard signed and dated 58 lower left
33 Auction
Jan. 21, 2017
CHIA YU CHIAN | View from My Window Kuala Lumpur
Est: S$10,000 - S$15,000
61 x 67 cm oil on canvas signed upper right; titled and dated 1971-1974 verso
33 Auction