Portrait of Eugene Chen

Chen’s first husband, Eugene Chen, was one of her favourite subjects. He is the single most featured person in the many portraits that Chen painted. These works often capture Eugene in moments of thought and reflection. The three portraits of Eugene before you were painted between 1939 and 1945. These were the years of World War II when Chen and Eugene were placed under surveillance, first in Hong Kong, then Shanghai. Confined indoors, Chen painted many interior scenes during this period. As a result, her works focused on portraits of Eugene, or still life compositions. Chen consistently portrays Eugene with a sombre, thoughtful expression. You might notice that across these portraits, one of Eugene’s hands is often at his temple, or resting at the side of his head. This gesture of concentration, along with the dry brush strokes and muted colours, hints perhaps at Eugene’s heavy responsibility as the first foreign minister of the Republic of China to Sun Yat-Sen. He is often depicted with his glasses or a book in hand, both symbols of him as a well-read intellectual. Eugene supported Chen’s artistic practice throughout their marriage, with Chen once remarking: “He was always ready to pose for me. That always helps an artist.” Sadly, Eugene passed away in May of 1944 and did not see the end of the war.