Artwork Description

Title: Yellow Dragonfly
Artist: Cao Jingping
Date: 2005
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 23.8 x 28.6 in (60.5 x 72.6 cm)

Artwork Identification
Rendered with striking photorealistic precision, Yellow Dragonfly by Cao Jingping presents a close-up of a dragonfly perched on a vivid red stem. Against a serene lavender-blue background, the insect's translucent wings and segmented body are captured in meticulous detail. The scale and composition invite a quiet contemplation of nature’s geometry and subtle color harmonies, elevating a moment of stillness into visual poetry.

Artistic Style and Influences
Cao Jingping’s artistic practice is grounded in realism, yet it pushes the boundaries toward hyperrealism and visual meditation. His fidelity to detail—down to the veins of the dragonfly’s wings and the iridescence of its body—recalls the sensibilities of scientific illustration, while his manipulation of light, texture, and scale introduces a lyrical dimension. His work finds resonance with both classical Chinese landscape traditions and contemporary photorealist trends, marrying Eastern attentiveness to nature with Western technical mastery.

Historical Context
Emerging during the late 1990s and early 2000s—an era when Chinese contemporary art increasingly engaged with both international aesthetics and introspective themes—Cao’s work bridges introspective realism and subtle social commentary. While not overtly political or conceptual, Yellow Dragonfly speaks to a generation of artists reacting to the rapid urbanization of China by turning to the natural world as a source of identity, memory, and transcendence.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas is stable and well-preserved, with no evidence of paint loss, surface abrasion, or prior conservation interventions. The fine brushwork and color fidelity remain intact, and the piece is suitable for immediate display in a gallery or private collection setting.

Artistic Significance
Yellow Dragonfly exemplifies Cao Jingping’s quiet virtuosity and his ability to transmute everyday moments into works of visual significance. His attention to the ephemeral—capturing life in a single still moment—has garnered him both academic accolades, such as the Luo Zhongli Oil Painting Scholarship, and a respected place within the Sichuan art community. This piece is a testament to his disciplined eye and sensitive engagement with nature, making it a refined addition to any collection focused on Chinese contemporary realism.