Mohamed Salehuddin was the secretary of Persatuan Pelukis-Pelukis Melayu Malaya (PPMM), or the Society of Malay Artists, established in 1949 in Singapore. Salehuddin was a prominent artist practising in 1950s Malaya whose work reflected the imaginings of an emerging nation. The Malay house in this painting is a Malaccan style long house, with an attap roof, raised floor and open verandah. Its distinctive feature is the tiles on the staircases, commonly with flower motifs and often imported from Europe or China.
