Executed in 1947, this work by pioneer artist Yong Mun Sen encapsulates the tenacity and resilience of farmers, embodied in their labour. The painting depicts a farmer and water buffalo diligently ploughing the paddy fields, loosening the soil for nutrients to be brought to the surface, in preparation for the seeds to grow and develop well. The silhouette of the figure and animal are finely modelled using deft strokes. His impeccable skill is shown in this work. The legendary Yong Mun Sen is one of the earliest watercolorists, one with profound influence and high visibility. He was referred to as the Father of Malaysian Painting by dealer-gallerist-artist-writer-publisher Dato’ Dr. Tan Chee Khuan in several of his books on pioneer artists. Born Yong Yen Lang, Mun Sen (the name he adopted in 1922) returned to China briefly (1914) before picking up art on his return to his hometown Sarawak. He had stints in Singapore before settling in Penang (1922), where he set up a photography studio cum gallery. He co-founded the Penang Chinese Art Club and the Singapore Society of Chinese Artists. He was accorded posthumous memorials by Singapore (1966), the National Art Gallery (Kuala Lumpur) and the Penang State Art Gallery (PSAG) in 1972, and the PSAG followed it up with a retrospective in 1999. The exhibition Yong Mun Sen In Nanyang was held at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries, NAFA Campus 1, Singapore, from February to May 2023.