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 bustling street life of early Singapore provided Lim with endless subject matter for his art. Often painting on site in Chinese ink as the medium allows him to paint with speed, Lim’s keen eye for detail captured the energy and dynamism of the activities of the streets. Among his many paintings were vanishing trades such as this blacksmith’s shop, tucked cozily in a back alley.
