Lee Boon Wang (b.1934) is one of Singapore’s foremost oil painters. He began practicing art at a young age and later he went on to pursue art education at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Graduating in 1953, Lee taught at the Academy for two years. He also joined the Equator Art Society, when it was formed in 1956. Lee has participated in numerous exhibitions, including Two Man Show in 1974, The Singapore Artists Art Exhibition in 1978, First Solo Exhibition in 1981, and The New York Art Exhibition in 1989. Influenced by his fellow artist and contemporary Chua Mia Tee, Lee Boon Wang draws a large influence from 19th century European realism. ‘Portrait of a Lady’ (Yang Mei Zhu) is art historically significant for it exemplifies a common artistic interest shared by the second-generation realist painters of Singapore (which also includes Chua Mia Tee and Lim Yew Kuan) in portraying friends and contemporaries via intimate observations and close study.
