This was early Lim Tze Peng, his medium was oil, watercolour and later ink. He painted on location or outdoors, en plein air in French. As with most outdoor painting, the paper or canvas was manageably small, and colours limited to what the artist could bring along. His subject matter was confined initially to kampong scenes where he lived, and later, in the 1970s and 80s, many of his paintings focused on the Singapore River and Chinatown before they were "cleaned up". The artworks before 2000 were mainly figurative, fine and accurate to what he saw before him. He famously said, "I paint what I see." His calligraphy was traditional.
1950
1960
1970
1973
Chinese ink on paper, 530 x 400 mm
1973
Chinese ink on paper, 700 x 695 mm
1973
Chinese ink on paper, 560 x 415 mm
1974
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 690 mm
1975
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 595 mm
1976
Chinese ink on paper, 695 x 695 mm
1976
Chinese ink on paper, 695 x 660 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 680 mm
1974
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
1974
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 670 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 670 x 570 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 820 x 500 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 830 x 500 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 680 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 685 x 555 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 825 x 500 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 700 x 695 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 685 X 695 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 820 x 500 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 690 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 680 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 680 x 450 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 665 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 670 x 670 mm
c. 1970s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 670 x 670 mm
1978
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 670 x 670 mm
1980
1980
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 690 mm
1982
Chinese ink on paper, 690 x 680 mm
c. 1980s
Chinese Ink on linen, 670 x 670 mm
1982
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 670 x 670 mm
1989
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 690 x 690 mm
1989
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 680 x 1370 mm
1983
Oil on canvas, 810 x 9650 mm
1989
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 660 x 920 mm
1990
1993
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 840 x 1530 mm
1993
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 840 x 1530 mm
1998
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 730 x 1370 mm
1996
Oil on canvas, 800 x 650 mm
1994
Oil on canvas, 647 x 800 mm
1992
Oil on canvas, 710 x 914 mm
1995
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 650 x 705 mm
1993
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 640 x 720 mm
In his 80s, Lim Tze Peng was too old to paint outdoors. He converted a backroom on the second floor of his home into a studio. While he still painted figurative works, the bulk of his output was abstract, especially trees. This period was arguably his most inventive and creative. Using his notebook as reference and his memory as resource, he threw himself into large format works that were boldly expressive, loudly colourful and innovatively original. Previously he painted what he saw, now he painted how he felt. "Hutuzi" or muddled calligraphy, colour calligraphy, and lyrical abstracts were produced during this period. They got him exhibited in China, he got his Cultural Medallion and most importantly, the rare and prestigious Meritorious Service Medal.
2000
2005
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 690 x 1380 mm
2007
Oil on canvas, 1100 x 2080 mm
2004
Oil on canvas, 800 x 1000 mm
2008
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1450 x 3690 mm
c. mid 2000s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1460mm x 1820 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 686 x 1372 mm
2004
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 680 x 1370 mm
2004
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 680 x 1370 mm
2008
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1320 x 2640 mm
2008
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 840 x 1530 mm
2007
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2420 x 5180 mm
2005
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2420 x 4820 mm
2004
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 840 x 1530 mm
2004
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 840 x 1530 mm
2003
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 730 x 1310 mm
2003
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 730 x 1370 mm
2003
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 730 x 1400 mm
2003
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 730 x 1400 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 683 x 1372 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2430 x 4830 mm
2008
Chinese ink on paper, 1780 x 959 mm
2008
Chinese ink on paper, 1780 x 959 mm
2008
Chinese ink on paper, 1780 x 959 mm
2008
Chinese ink on paper, 1780 x 959 mm
2002
Oil on canvas, 660 x 810 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2750 x 4800 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1300 x 1300 mm
2005
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1320 x 2570 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2440 x 4880 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 820 x 1510 mm
2002
Oil on canvas, 660 x 820 mm
2001
Oil on canvas, 710 x 910 mm
2004
Oil on canvas, 1000 x 800 mm
2004
Oil On canvas, 800 x 1000 mm
2004
Oil on canvas, 800 x 1000 mm
2002
Oil on canvas, 620 x 800 mm
c. 2008-2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 980 x 1040 mm
c. 2008-2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 985 x 1040 mm
c. 2008-2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1035 mm
c. 2008-2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 975 x 1025 mm
2004
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 700 x 1380 mm
c2004-2005
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 700 x 1375 mm
2000
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 686 x 1376 mm
c. 2000s
Chinese ink on paper, 1420 x 680 mm
2003
Chinese ink on paper, 1420 x 680 mm
c. early 2000s
Chinese ink on rice paper, 1790 x 960 mm
c. early 2000s
Chinese ink on rice paper, 1790 x 960 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 1640 x 1380 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 2000 x 710 mm
2006
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 1690 x 590 mm
c. 2008
Chinese ink on paper, 1420 x 680 mm
2010
2012
Ink and colour on paper 1440 x 3630 mm
2012
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1040 mm
2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1000 mm
2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1000 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1050 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink on paper, 1030 x 1030 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1030 x 1030 mm
c. 2010s
人山人海
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 990 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and color on paper, 2280 x 4990 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 1000 x 1000 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 680 x 1380 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 1010 x 1070 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on rice paper, 1000 x 1030 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink on rice paper, 930 x 950 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink on rice paper, 1210 x 600 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1010 x 1060 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1050 x 1080 mm
c. 2010s
Chinese ink on paper, 1010 x 1010 mm
2018
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 920 x 1070 mm
At 100 years old, Lim Tze Peng has not slowed down or stopped. Instead, his works have become even bigger, bolder and brighter. Most of his works measure 8 feet by 6 feet. For an artist who constantly seeks breakthrough, the centenarian knows this to be his final breakthrough. So many of his works are his 100th year editions of his previous creations. From abstracts, calligraphy to figurative, the works pay homage to what he has done before, but with a 100-year-old signature nod. Not only are the scales larger, the treatment is mature and even playful. On many levels, the confidence of the artist at 100 sees him painting like a child again.
Present
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2438 x 1219 mm
2020
Chinese ink on paper, 1260 x 2410 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1490 x 2140 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1490 x 2110 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1490 x 1880 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1460 x 1890 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1460 x 1890 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1460 x 1890 mm
2021
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1200 x 2400 mm
2021
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1000 x 1100 mm
C. 1980s (Colours added in 2020)
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 665 x 670 mm
2008 (Featured in book in 2020)
Chinese ink on paper, 1830 x 970 mm
2020
Chinese ink on paper, 1700 x 1930 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 2000 x 2380 mm
1980 (Colours added in 2020)
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 670 x 665 mm
2020
Chinese ink on paper, 1670 x 1925 mm
C. 1982 (Colours added in 2020)
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 670 x 670 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1650 x 2280 mm
C. 1980s (Colours added in 2020)
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 680 x 670 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1455 x 1845 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1260 x 2410 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1210 x 2340 mm
2020
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 1829 x 2438 mm