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At first glance, one sees an abstraction of shapes and colours. However, look closely and this present (lot 189) by second generation Nanyang style artist, Lim Tze Peng transforms into a vibrant seascape of densely packed boats and their sails. Filled with light and executed with an almost, brisk, sketch-like brushwork, the oil on canvas piece reveals the artist's academic foundations in Chinese ink and watercolour where spontaneity and speed are key. Mostly self-taught, Lim developed a significant body of work over the course of his career and is best known for his paintings of Singapore, in particular, of old Malay Kampongs, Chinatown and the Singapore River. As such, it is no wonder that this present lot eludes a sense of confidence and finesse, especially with regards to the composition of the seascape. In addition, Lim was known to have attended artist field trips around the Southeast Asia region with the Ten Men Group and often sketched outdoors. This further developed and refined his unique brisk brushwork technique and its effectiveness is clearly evident here as it helped to orchestrate multiple pockets of movement, especial l y between the sails of the boats, enhancing the depth of the work and capturing the attention of the viewer. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Lim's artistic endeavours developed over time through his earnest practice of the craft along with his willingness to learn, unrestricted by academic foundations. This painting presented here thus pinpoints a significant period of the artist's career as it represents his move towards a more contemporary expressionistic style.