Represented here is a rare and early oil painting by Tan Choon Ghee dated 1950. The coastline moors two junk ships with rolled mainsails. Two men are seen in front of a boat one of whom is obscured by the boat’s shadow. A stepladder placed next to the same boat indicates perhaps goods are either being loaded onto or unloaded from the boat. In a book titled A Brief History of Malayan Art (1963) by Marco Hsu (translated by Dr. Lai Chee Kien), the author wrote highly of Tan’s work of art: “He is without doubt a capable artist for his landscapes and portraits are expressive of the atmosphere and are refreshingly delicate and his exceptional talent can be discerned from his terse but enigmatic works”, a remark that aptly describes this piece.