Artwork Description

Title: The Li River is Misty and Rainy
Artist: Quanzong Zhang
Date: Undated
Medium: Chinese painting
Dimensions: 27.17 x 54.33 in (69 x 138 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Quanzong Zhang’s The Li River is Misty and Rainy is a refined Chinese landscape painting measuring 69 x 138 cm (27.17 x 54.33 in). Executed with traditional ink and subtle color washes on paper, the work portrays a tranquil riverscape enveloped in soft, ambient fog. Boats glide silently along the water, flanked by a rocky hill crowned with lush green trees. Overhead, a scattering of birds in flight completes the scene’s lyrical harmony, evoking a timeless balance between nature and human presence.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Zhang’s painting is grounded in the classical Chinese shanshui (mountain-water) tradition, recalling the atmospheric elegance of Southern Song landscapes. The restrained palette, mist-filled negative space, and poetic arrangement of boats and trees echo the techniques of literati masters. However, the crisp detailing of the rocky hill and verdant foliage suggests a contemporary eye, blending inherited brushwork with modern compositional clarity. The floating boats and flying birds add rhythm and gentle movement to an otherwise meditative composition.

3. Historical Context
The Li River has been an iconic subject in Chinese art for centuries, revered for its dramatic karst formations and poetic serenity. Zhang’s painting continues this lineage by focusing not on grandeur, but on the lyrical intimacy of daily life along the river. The inclusion of boats, birds, and fog conveys a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature—an enduring theme in Chinese landscape painting, which often serves as a visual metaphor for philosophical reflection and spiritual alignment with the Dao.

4. Provenance and Authenticity
Please contact the gallery directly for provenance information and certificate of authenticity.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is presumed to be in good, stable condition. There is no visible surface damage or discoloration. A formal conservation review can be arranged upon request to verify the physical integrity of the piece and ensure its longevity under appropriate care.

6. Artistic Significance
The Li River is Misty and Rainy highlights Quanzong Zhang’s mastery in channeling traditional ink landscape techniques into a fresh, serene vision. The composition’s balance of form and emptiness, along with its poetic symbolism, exemplifies the continued relevance of ink painting in modern Chinese art. Its contemplative mood and subtle beauty make it an appealing acquisition for collectors and connoisseurs of classical and contemporary Asian art alike.