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This evocative painting by Lim Tze Peng captures the bustling vitality of Singapore’s historic Robertson Quay. In the foreground, bump boats glide along the Singapore River, their canopies sheltering cargo and workers engaged in daily toil. Beyond the riverbank, rows of traditional shophouses stand proudly, while lorries wait to transport goods further inland—an authentic portrayal of trade and livelihood in mid-20th-century Singapore.

Through his expressive brushstrokes and earthy palette, Lim immortalizes a critical moment in the nation’s history when riverine and land-based commerce intertwined to power Singapore’s growth. The composition reveals not only the rhythm of labor but also the harmony between community, architecture, and the river that sustained them.

For collectors, this work offers both aesthetic richness and historical gravitas—an enduring testament to Singapore’s spirit of resilience and enterprise.