Artwork Description

Mo Xiong
Flowers, n.d.
ink and watercolour on paper
25.6 x 15.4 in. (65 x 39 cm)

This elegant still life presents a refined porcelain vase adorned with delicate blue floral motifs, from which an abundant bouquet of pale yellow blossoms emerges. The composition is set against a softly atmospheric ground of lavender, sage, and warm golden tones, creating a layered chromatic field that enhances the luminosity of the floral arrangement. The blossoms appear to hover within this ambient space, their forms rendered with a balance of delicacy and chromatic clarity.

The artist’s handling of ink and watercolour demonstrates a fluid synthesis of Chinese brush traditions and Western impressionistic colour sensibilities. Subtle overlays and gestural inflections lend the surface a sense of movement, while the structured vase anchors the composition in classical decorative form.

The work engages with the enduring symbolism of floral still life within Chinese visual culture, where blossoms evoke notions of harmony, refinement, and ephemerality. Here, these associations are reinterpreted through a contemporary painterly vocabulary that privileges expressive colour and atmospheric depth.

The work is in very good condition, with stable paper support and well-preserved pigments. Provenance: documentation can be provided upon request.