Bulbul and Calabash circa 1977 signed with artist's seal ink and colour on paper 32.5 by 44 cm. 12 6/8 by 17 3/8 in.FootnotesProvenance Private Collection, Singapore 陳文希 鵯與葫蘆 約一九七七年作 簽名：文希 藝術家鈐印 水墨設色紙本 鏡框 來源 新加坡私人收藏 One of Singapore's most beloved founding artists, Chen Wen Hsi is considered, amongst other members of the Nanyang Art school, to have been pivotal to the country's fledgling art scene. Before arriving in Singapore, Chen was already a recognised artist in Southern China, having trained at the Shanghai College of Art and the Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in the late 1920s. Chen's paintings created during the 1950s were mainly rendered in the traditional xieyi (写意) style characterised by expressive, freehand brushwork. As his artistic style evolved, he became known for his innovative and creative approach to Chinese ink painting by incorporating Western art elements into his compositions of animals and Nature.