Description:

U SHWE AUNG THEIN (BURMESE 1932 - 1994)
Pagoda Amid Trees, circa 1980
oil on board
26.5 x 32 cm (10 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.)
matte dimensions: 33 x 37.5 cm (13 x 14 1/2 in.)
signed lower left

PROVENANCE
Property of a Gentleman, White Plains

RELATED LITERATURE
Andrew Ranard, Burmese Painting: A Linear and Lateral History, Chiang Mai, Thailand: Silkworm Books, 2009 (ref. p. 266)
Hla Tin Htun, Old Myanmar Paintings in the Collection of U Win, Thavibu Gallery, 2006 (ref. p. 92)

LOT NOTES
U Shwe Aung Thein was among the most distinctive figures in mid-20th-century Burmese modern painting, known for his expressive brushwork, saturated color, and lyrical depictions of rural and spiritual landscapes. Born in Mandalay in 1909, he belonged to the first generation of artists who bridged traditional Burmese aesthetics and the evolving vocabulary of modernism introduced under colonial rule.

Having studied under U Ba Thet in Mandalay, Shwe Aung Thein absorbed influences from the Mandalay court painting tradition and early Western techniques brought by artists such as Ba Nyan and Ngwe Gaing. By the 1950s, he had developed a personal idiom distinguished by vigorous impasto, rhythmic line, and bold chromatic contrasts that conveyed both energy and devotion.

Pagoda amid Trees embodies these qualities. The painting’s textured surface and dynamic brushstrokes animate a scene of everyday reverence - a pagoda nestled among banyan and palm trees, where figures move quietly in the dappled light. The sacred architecture is partially veiled by foliage, its presence felt through light and color rather than formal precision. This fusion of spiritual symbolism and painterly immediacy is central to Shwe Aung Thein’s vision of the Burmese landscape as both physical and transcendental space.

Throughout his career, Shwe Aung Thein exhibited widely in Rangoon and Mandalay, and his works remain sought after for their vitality and emotive power. His legacy endures among later generations of Burmese painters who continue to balance modern expression with cultural rootedness.

CONDITION
The painting is in good condition, minor surface grime, no visible issues to report. Not inspected under UV light.

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Keywords: Burmese painting, Burmese art, Myanmar

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October 25, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
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