Artwork Description

Title: Refreshing
Artist: Shaoli Chen
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 30.3 x 28.3 in (77 x 72 cm)

Artwork Identification
Refreshing is an elegant and lighthearted ink and watercolor painting by Shaoli Chen, featuring two young women in breezy, fashionable attire. The composition balances their summery wardrobe and relaxed posture with a backdrop of expressive brushwork depicting rocks, tropical plants, and elegant trees—creating a gentle harmony between subject and setting.

Artistic Style and Influences
Shaoli Chen brings together the delicate traditions of Chinese brush painting with contemporary flair. The figures are dressed in trendy yet understated clothing—striped dress, oversized shirt, cap, sandals—signaling modern ease and individuality. His confident lines and refined washes evoke the spontaneity of real life while preserving a classical grace rooted in literati painting.

Historical Context
Chen, an established professor and artist from Jiangsu Province, stands at the forefront of modern Chinese ink art. His paintings, like Refreshing, offer a window into contemporary urban youth culture, particularly the evolving fashion and social presence of women. The work subtly acknowledges the influence of modernity while remaining grounded in the poetic visual language of traditional art.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, with fresh pigment and no visible paper damage or discoloration.

Artistic Significance
Refreshing is a quintessential example of Shaoli Chen’s ability to depict the rhythms of modern life through an elegant, painterly lens. The balance of stillness and movement, tradition and innovation, makes this a refined and culturally resonant work within the broader arc of 21st-century Chinese ink painting.