Tan Choh Tee (1942- ) is a second-generation Singapore artist renowned for his expressive oil paintings of landscapes and still lifes. Tan’s landscape style exhibits the influence of Post-Impressionism. He also prefers to capture the scenes en plein air, often emphasising the play of light, atmosphere, and emotion.

Singapore River from 1980 captures the traditional character and bustle of Old Singapore River before urban modernisation. Trade activities and mercantile labour were once common sights along the riverbanks, while bumboats were used for the loading and unloading of goods along the quays. Within a decade of this painting, the river would be cleaned up, the bumboats removed, and many shophouses restored or repurposed.

Tan’s colour palette features the heavy use of earthy ochres, greys, and muted blues, reflecting the aged patina of old, weathered shophouses and the working environment right by the river. The human figures, boats, water, and light are executed in loose, dynamic brushstrokes that convey a sense of spontaneity and movement. Imbued with nostalgia and rhythm, Tan’s Singapore River serves as a visual document of a vanishing era and its old way of life.

Compositional Breakdown