Lot Essay
Soo Pieng's distinctive style of painting is evident in the present work. Constructing his human figures as geometrically simplified elements does not only reiterate his early training in China in western painting, but it also impresses on the viewer his sensibilities for Southeast Asia as his home. This is seen in the way his painted figures may be compared and likened to woodcarving, stone temple sculpture and batik prints indigenous to the region. Even in his subject matter, Soo Pieng did not stray far from the regional themes, immortalising village maidens in calm and tranquil settings and of course the portrayal of the mother and child.