Artwork Description

Title: Dream in Flower
Artist: Lv Jiang
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 13.8 × 17.7 in (35 × 45 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Dream in Flower presents an elegantly stylized female figure shown in serene repose, her eyes gently closed as she drifts amid a profusion of butterflies and floral motifs. Executed on a traditional fan‑shaped sheet, Lv Jiang layers translucent watercolor washes with deft ink outlines and controlled spatters of pigment, creating a luminous surface alive with pinks, oranges, and celadon greens. The arching format both frames and amplifies the dream‑like atmosphere that surrounds the reclining subject.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Lv Jiang’s hybrid visual language merges classical Chinese ink traditions with a pop‑inflected palette and fashion‑illustration immediacy. The sweeping calligraphic contours recall gongbi linework, while the bold chromatics and decorative rhythms echo the sensibilities of modern manga and 1990s Shanghai poster art. In concert with the fan form—long associated with literati refinement—the work underscores Lv’s signature dialogue between heritage and contemporary urban culture.

3. Historical Context
Since the 1980s, Chinese ink practitioners have re‑examined canonical forms to address new social realities. Lv Jiang (b. 1975, Nanjing) belongs to the post‑’85 New Wave generation that embraces personal narrative and vibrant coloration as a counterpoint to austere orthodox brush painting. His fan compositions pay homage to Ming‑Qing scholar‑artists yet speak in the chromatic voice of 21st‑century consumer culture, reflecting the dual currents of revival and reinvention in China’s current art scene.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The fan‑shaped paper retains excellent structural integrity, with no creasing, cockling, or discoloration. Pigments appear fresh and fully saturated; there is no evidence of abrasion, foxing, or moisture staining. Conservation treatment is not presently required.

6. Artistic Significance
Dream in Flower exemplifies Lv Jiang’s sought‑after “fan portrait” series, where feminine grace intersects with botanical exuberance to evoke states of reverie and self‑reflection. Works of this cycle have garnered strong interest among collectors of contemporary Chinese ink, praised for “bridg­ing classical elegance with pop sensibility” (Jiangsu Art Review, 2019). The present sheet captures that fusion at its most lyrical, offering bidders a quintessential example of the artist’s innovative contribution to the ongoing renaissance of Chinese ink and watercolor painting.