Artwork Description

Title: A Reading Life (读书人生)
Artist: Shen Xinggong (Chinese, b. 1943)
Date: Undated
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 59.1 x 59.1 in (150 x 150 cm)

Artwork Identification
A Reading Life (读书人生) is a monumental oil painting by Shen Xinggong, measuring 150 x 150 cm and presented in a glazed frame. The composition centers on a contemplative figure immersed in the act of reading, rendered in rich, nuanced layers of oil pigment. The large square format allows for an immersive encounter with the subject, whose inner world seems to radiate outward through controlled color harmonies and a serene, academic atmosphere. Executed with refined brushwork and compositional clarity, the work embodies Shen’s lifelong engagement with cultural introspection and intellectual pursuit.

Artistic Style and Influences
Shen Xinggong’s style fuses Chinese cultural sensibilities with Western oil painting techniques, rooted in the rigorous academic training of the Nanjing school. His work reflects the realism of the Soviet-influenced yìngxiàng zhǔyì (印象主义) period, later maturing into a lyrical form of figurative expressionism. In A Reading Life, one finds echoes of both Song dynasty scholarly ideals and 20th-century psychological portraiture. Shen’s palette, brushwork, and symbolic engagement with themes of study and reflection reveal his deep admiration for both traditional Chinese humanism and modern European art currents.

Historical Context
Created by a leading voice in the post-Cultural Revolution generation of Chinese artists, A Reading Life speaks to the resurgence of intellectual values and academic discipline in contemporary Chinese art. Following the ideological restraints of the Maoist era, artists like Shen Xinggong sought to revive personal expression and cultural continuity. His focus on the individual—particularly the scholarly self—represents a shift toward humanistic themes in the 1980s and 1990s, paralleling China’s re-engagement with global artistic discourse.

Provenance and Authenticity
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
The work is preserved in a custom frame and remains in excellent condition. The canvas surface shows no visible abrasions, warping, or pigment loss. The glass is clear, with minor handling marks on the frame consistent with careful long-term storage. There is no evidence of restoration or structural concerns, and the canvas tension is secure.

Artistic Significance
A Reading Life exemplifies Shen Xinggong’s dedication to intellectual and artistic refinement, reflecting both the artist’s scholarly background and his philosophical outlook. As a former vice president and long-time professor at Nanjing University of the Arts, Shen’s influence spans generations of painters. This large-scale, meditative work stands as a mature statement from an artist whose career has bridged academic, cultural, and institutional spheres. It is a compelling acquisition for collectors interested in the evolution of contemporary Chinese painting and the enduring legacy of the literati tradition in modern form.