Artwork Description

Title:Baijia Lake in the Sunrise

Artist
Wei Luning

Date
2016

Medium:
Oil on canvas

Dimensions
19.7 x 23.6 in (50 x 60 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Baijia Lake in the Sun Raise (2016) by Wei Luning is a tranquil and atmospheric depiction of Baijia Lake at dawn. Painted in oil on canvas, the composition captures a soft and luminous sunrise over a hazy urban horizon. The surface is built with delicate brushwork and subtle tonal gradations in warm peach, violet, and pale blue. A faint bridge spans the midground, while the still water reflects the changing sky. In the lower right, a quiet dock emerges from the shadows, completing the composition with a contemplative touch.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Wei’s style in this work evokes a lyrical Impressionism filtered through the sensibility of Chinese ink landscape traditions. His treatment of light and sky recalls the ethereal atmosphere of Turner and Monet, yet the brush structure and tonal mist evoke the philosophical stillness of classical Chinese shanshui painting. This fusion creates an elegant, reflective view of contemporary urban nature—a hallmark of Wei’s mature visual language.

3. Historical Context
Completed in 2016, the work reflects Wei’s longstanding engagement with Baijia Lake, an evolving area within the rapidly transforming cityscape of Nanjing. This lake, once rural, has become a focal point of urban living. In this context, Wei’s dawn view suggests a moment of stillness amid the ongoing tempo of development. The rising sun, softly illuminating the horizon, serves as a metaphor for quiet resilience, hope, and renewal within the contemporary Chinese experience.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition overall. Minor abrasion marks are present along the edges, especially near the lower corners, but do not intrude on the composition. The paint surface is stable, and the canvas retains its full structural integrity.

6. Artistic Significance
Baijia Lake in the Sun Raise exemplifies Wei Luning’s ability to distill complex emotional and environmental nuances into painterly serenity. It offers collectors a contemplative landscape that speaks both to personal memory and broader themes of urban transformation and renewal. This piece stands as a compelling meditation on light, place, and time, and is a valuable addition to collections focused on contemporary Chinese landscape painting.