Contents
Georgette Chen
Helping shape Singapore’s Nanyang art through portraits and tropical still lifes.
Still Life with Blue Vase · Portrait
- Born
- 1906
- Birthplace
- Singapore
- Died
- 15 March 1993
More people
Georgette Chen
Georgette Chen was a painter and teacher whose life connected China, Europe and Southeast Asia. Her work combined oil-painting techniques with the people, plants and everyday objects around her.
Early life
Cosmopolitan childhood
Grew up moving between China and Paris in an antique dealer’s family.
Training
Studied art in New York and Paris.
Career
- 1930
Paris exhibition
Had paintings accepted at the Salon d’Automne.
- 1953
Singapore
Settled in Singapore after living in Malaya.
- 1954
Teaching
Joined the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
- 1982
Cultural Medallion
Received Singapore’s major arts honour.
Selected work
Still Life with Blue Vase
Arranged everyday objects in an oil painting.
Portrait
Worked in charcoal and pastel.
Beyond work
Languages
Was fluent in several languages after living in different countries.
Family
Her first husband was diplomat Eugene Chen; his death in 1944 marked a major loss in her life.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Biography and career evidence ↗Photo: Liangyou magazine. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
