Artwork Description

Title: Relic · II
Artist: Peiyong Wang
Date: 2015
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 27.6 x 39.4 in (70 x 100 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Relic · II by Peiyong Wang, painted in 2015, is a compelling oil on canvas measuring 70 x 100 cm. The composition centers around the haunting silhouette of a crumbling wall from a once-standing edifice, rendered in a restricted palette of earthy sepia tones. The desolate structure, set against a hazy landscape, evokes a sense of forgotten time and architectural decay.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Wang’s style in this work reflects a synthesis of tonal realism and expressionistic atmosphere. The subdued chromatic scheme and the emphasis on texture and erosion recall traditional Chinese literati painting reinterpreted through a post-industrial lens. The treatment of ruins and landscape suggests influence from Romantic European traditions, particularly in its evocation of melancholy and the sublime in decay.

3. Historical Context
Created in 2015, Relic · II speaks to contemporary concerns with memory, obsolescence, and the passage of time in rapidly urbanizing societies. In the context of China’s shifting architectural and rural landscapes, the artwork functions as a quiet protest or elegy for vanishing historical forms—standing as witness to what remains and what has been lost in the tide of modernization.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas is stable with no signs of warping or sagging, and the painted surface shows no evidence of cracking, flaking, or discoloration. The muted palette and delicate brushwork remain intact, requiring no immediate conservation measures.

6. Artistic Significance
Relic · II is a poignant meditation on architectural memory and cultural erosion. Peiyong Wang’s work situates the viewer in a liminal space between presence and absence, drawing attention to the poetic resonance of ruins. This painting will appeal to collectors of contemporary Chinese art with a focus on memory, place, and transformation.