Lee Man Fong (1913–1988) was a prominent Southeast Asian artist whose career developed across China, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Netherlands. Born in Guangdong, China, he moved to Singapore with his family at the age of three. From an early age, he studied both Chinese brush painting and Western oil painting, developing a visual language that later became known for combining Eastern artistic traditions with Western composition and techniques.
In 1932, Lee moved to Jakarta, where he worked in publishing and advertising while continuing to paint. His reputation began to grow after his work was exhibited by the Dutch Indies Art Association in 1936. In 1941, he left advertising to become a full-time artist. During the Japanese occupation, he was imprisoned for several months because of his involvement with an underground revolutionary organization, but he continued drawing and painting while in prison.
After World War II, Lee received a scholarship to study in the Netherlands, where he spent six years between 1946 and 1952. During this period, he studied the works of European masters such as Rembrandt and Vincent van Gogh, which influenced his use of dramatic lighting, expressive brushwork, and rich colour. After returning to Indonesia, he increasingly focused on Southeast Asian subjects, particularly Indonesian people, landscapes, animals, and everyday life.
In 1961, Lee became an art consultant to the Indonesian presidential palace and chief curator of its collection. He worked closely with President Sukarno and helped restore, document, and catalogue the presidential art collection, resulting in a major five-volume publication. In 1967, he returned to Singapore, where he continued to paint and exhibit for the next two decades.
Lee Man Fong is remembered for his distinctive ability to unite Chinese artistic sensibilities, Southeast Asian subjects, and Western painting techniques. Although his national and artistic identity has often been debated between China, Indonesia, and Singapore, his importance to Southeast Asian modern art remains widely recognised. His works continue to be highly sought after in international collections and auctions, securing his legacy as one of the region’s most significant modern artists.