Born in 1933 in Singapore, Tan Choo Kuan was trained in Western Art at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. A dedicated art teacher and prolific artist, Tan’s legacy was recognised in October 2005 with the Singapore Art Museum’s acquisition of 74 select sketches and drawings on paper completed between 1953 and 2005.“I love nature. It gives me inspiration and pleasure. Therefore I travel widely”, said Tan in his 1979 catalogue epilogue. As an artist whose painterly style was predominantly formed by European influences, Tan’s sketches more freely combine East and West qualities as can be seen in this drawing. The evergreen tree in the foreground towers over the receding rugged mountainous vista. Just above the centre line small figures can be seen resting atop the boulders – the inclusion of people within the landscape scene is not uncommon in Tan’s work.
