Artwork Description

Title:Figure

Artist
Han Ha

Date
n.d.

Medium: Ink and Color on Paper

Dimensions
13 x 6.9 in (33 x 17.5 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
This delicate painting by Han Ha features two female figures rendered in soft ink and color, dressed in matching garments and placed beside a blossoming plum branch. Their expressions are dreamlike and subtly introspective, captured with understated linework and pale tonal washes.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The composition draws from traditional Chinese figure painting, particularly the gongbi technique, but is filtered through a modern lens. The minimalistic background and stylized figuration evoke early 20th-century Chinese modernism, reflecting a transition period in Chinese art where East met West in both dress and expression.

3. Historical Context
Although undated, the work appears inspired by the aesthetics of Republican-era China, a time marked by cultural transformation and artistic innovation. Han Ha’s choice of fashion, gesture, and flower symbolism points to themes of femininity, spring, and quiet companionship during a time of personal and social awakening.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, with natural creases in the paper visible but not intrusive. No tears, stains, or pigment loss are observed.

6. Artistic Significance
Han Ha's Figure stands out for its elegant restraint and nostalgic sensibility. Through spare but emotive brushwork, the piece offers a window into an intimate moment between two figures, framed by the timeless motif of blooming plum blossoms—a symbol of perseverance and beauty in Chinese culture. Ideal for collectors of modern Chinese ink painting with a refined narrative quality.