Chuah Thean Teng, Dato’

045

b. China, 1912 - d. 2008
Chuah Thean Teng, Dato’
Mother With Children
c. 1986
signed ‘Teng’ bottom right
batik
85.5 x 85.5cm
Provenance
Private collection, Kuala Lumpur; acquired from a former neighbour of the artist. Private colelction, Penang; acquired directly from artist.
Estimate
RM 80,000 –100,000
Price Realised
RM 114,400

LITERATURE
Art and Artists of 20th Century China (Prof Michael Sullivan)
Dato’ Chuah Thean Teng Retrospective (Exhibition, Penang State Art Gallery; curator: Dr Tan Chong Guan, 1994)

Dato’ Chuah Thean Teng had adopted the Mother-and-Child theme, also a favourite of British sculptor Henry Moore, as one of the main focus in his works, to reaffirm the sacrifices and love of his mother. Even Teng’s children recalled that since young, their father was always telling them about the unconditional love of his mother and this emphasis on a mother’s love was constantly being translated right in front of their eyes into paintings, from as early as the 1940s until his death in 2008.

Teng’s Mother-and-Child works first gained world-wide recognition with his painting, Two of a Kind, depicting two mothers with children in their arms, accepted by the United Nations for the design of UNICEF 1967 Christmas cards. It was the first time a Malaysian artist’s painting was accepted by the world body. The painting remains in the family’s collection until today.

In this classic work of Teng along his favourite theme, as always, the gestures and postures were composed to show great maternal affection, as the mother lovingly feeds her infant, while her other child looks on.