Description:

U NGWE GAING (BURMESE 1901-1967)
Sailing Towards Bagan, circa 1958
watercolor on paper
27 x 37 cm (11 x 14 1/2 in.)
framed dimensions: 35.5 x 45.7 cm (14 x 18 in.)
signed lower right

PROVENANCE
Acquired by the current owner from the artist U Tin Win in 2003 in Yangon
Property of a Gentleman, White Plains

LOT NOTES
U Ngwe Gaing, honored as Alinga Kyaw Swa, was a pivotal figure in modern Burmese art and a leading member of the Rangoon School. Born in Myeik and raised in Dawei, he began as a largely self-taught artist, supplemented by an American correspondence course, before studying under local masters Po Aung, Ba Ohn, Ba Sein, and later under Ba Nyan after his return from England.

By the time of Ba Nyan’s death in 1945, Ngwe Gaing was widely acknowledged as Burma’s leading painter.  In 1953 he received the country’s highest distinction for an artist, the title Alinga Kyaw Swa. He also spent a year in England (1952) copying Burmese antiquities in British museum collections to deepen his grasp of Western and Southeast Asian traditions.

Ngwe Gaing’s oeuvre is remarkably broad: he mastered oil, watercolor, gouache, ink and pencil, and his subjects ranged from landscapes, historical and religious scenes, still lifes, to portraits of Burma’s ethnic peoples. His technique is often distinguished by careful impasto, rigorous detail, and a vivid but harmonious Burmese color palette. 

CONDITION
Observed in frame under glass, the work is in good condition, very minor staining around the edges. No other visible issues to report.

N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.

Keywords: Burmese painting, Burmese art, Myanmar

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Shipping

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October 25, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
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