Born in 1923, Lim Tze Peng is largely a self-taught artist. In his oeuvre, ink paintings and calligraphic works feature prominently, although there is a small number of oils, watercolours and drawings. He created a unique style of ink painting using rich brush and tonal details, and this approach is often regarded as a manifestation of the Nanyang Style in the ink medium. Lim, a school principal until his retirement in the early 1980s, was awarded the Cultural Medallion by the Singapore government in 2003.The Singapore River remains one of Lim’s favourite subjects, appearing in his paintings time and again. Yet, the river under his brush is never the same, as he explores its different charms every time. In this painting, Lim captures the vibrancy of the lifeline of early Singapore with an aerial view of the Elgin Bridge and its surrounding area.
