Singapore Art

1819 was the year Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles.

1819 was also the year one of the earliest known artwork of Singapore was created.

It is believed that this drawing was made when Captain Daniel Ross, a ship commander who brought Sir Stamford Raffles to Singapore commissioned one of his sailors to sketch the outline of the Singapore harbour. These artworks become early records of Singapore. 

The convenient location of Singapore attracted many foreigners who came to trade and sell goods in the early days. Many of them eventually settled in Singapore; there were migrants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and many more countries. Artists who have migrated to Singapore from these different countries began to create artworks that show local life.

National Gallery Singapore

National Gallery Singapore oversees the largest public collection of modern art in Singapore and Southeast Asia. 

It houses two national monuments - City Hall and the former Supreme Court of Singapore building that have been beautifully restored since 2005. 

City Hall 

The City Hall Building was formerly referred to as the Municipal Building. 

Completed in 1929, several milestone events have taken place on its grounds:

1.) On 12 September 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Allied forces in the City Hall Chamber

2.) In 1959 former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew stood on City Hall steps to proclaim self-government for Singapore. He was also sworn in as Singapore's first Prime Minister in a private ceremony held at the City Hall Chamber on 5 June 1959.

3.) On 3 December 1959, Yusof Ishak was inaugurated as Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State) in the City Hall Chamber.

Former Supreme Court

Built between 1936 and 1939, the former Supreme Court houses 4 court rooms, offices and a law library.

Our former Supreme Court Building was built in an architectural style known as the Neoclassical Style. A common feature of most Neoclassical Buildings is a tympanum, circled in orange below. A tympanum marks the entrance of the former Supreme Court. The central figure is the Lady of Justice, who represents fairness and honesty in executing the law of the land. On her right-hand side are the people, for example the man with the bull and two young children holding bundles of wheat which stands for abundance and prosperity. This typanum is created by Italian artist Rudolfo Nolli who took a year to complete its details.  

At the main lobby of the former Supreme Court Building, there is an octagon-shaped foundation stone. This foundation stone was laid by Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas, governor of the Straits Settlements (Penang, Singapore, Malacca) on April 1, 1937. A time capsule lays beneath the foundation stone and will be uncovered during the year 3000.

Today, the National Gallery is an Art Gallery that displays Southeast Asian art and Singaporean history. National Gallery houses more than 8,000 modern Singaporean and Southeast Asian works from the 19th and 20th centuries. The diverse collection spans years, techniques and artistic movements!

Adapted from visitsingapore.com and Investigating Art: National Gallery Singapore Resource Pack

National Gallery is responsible for the care and management of the many artworks on display. To do our part, we can:

1.) Look with our eyes, not hands

2.) No food and drinks

3.) Speak softly

4.) Remember to use our walking feet 

5.) Stay with our teacher at all times