Artwork Description

Title: The Father on the Haystack
Artist: Xinlin Jiang
Date: 2011
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 44.3 × 21.7 in (112.5 × 55 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
The Father on the Haystack is a striking vertical oil painting by contemporary Chinese realist Xinlin Jiang, completed in 2011. Executed on a 112.5 × 55 cm (44.3 × 21.7 in) canvas, the work presents a solitary male figure atop a mound of dried foliage and hay. The man's face and posture convey a rugged dignity, his hands engaged in the timeless labor of rural life. The swirling brushstrokes used to depict the tangled hay convey both energy and texture, anchoring the composition in expressive realism.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Jiang’s painting reflects a commitment to figurative realism imbued with emotional warmth and subtle storytelling. The muted palette, natural lighting, and expressive textures evoke comparisons to the works of Jean-François Millet and the rural narratives of Chinese socialist realism. The painter’s mastery of natural light and atmospheric rendering transforms an ordinary moment into a deeply felt portrait of perseverance and toil.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2011, the work is part of a broader return to agrarian subjects by contemporary Chinese artists reflecting on the social and cultural transformations of rural China. As urbanization reshapes the country, Jiang’s work functions both as homage and preservation—capturing an agrarian way of life that is fast disappearing. The subject's weathered face and labor-worn hands serve as an emblem of a generation bound to the land.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas is stable and taut, with no evidence of paint loss, cracking, or restoration. The surface displays a harmonious patina, appropriate to the age of the work. No conservation work is presently required.

6. Artistic Significance
This evocative portrait stands out as a testament to Xinlin Jiang’s ability to convey the nobility of everyday labor. His sensitive depiction of the father figure, coupled with the dramatic sweep of the hay, elevates the painting into a symbol of generational continuity, resilience, and grounded humanity. It offers collectors a compelling window into the poetics of rural life in 21st-century China.