Artwork Description

Title: Big Mountain
Artist: Li Yan
Date: 2013
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 70 x 110 cm

Artwork Identification:
Big Mountain presents a dramatic autumnal landscape dominated by a dark, looming mountain ridge set against a serene sky. Below, vivid red, orange, and golden foliage stretch across the foothills, while the foreground reflects the color-rich terrain in a placid, glassy body of water. The composition evokes both majesty and tranquility, capturing nature in a transitional, ephemeral state.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Li Yan blends naturalistic detail with expressive brushwork, emphasizing texture and atmospheric mood. The interplay of rich color fields and softened contours reflects an influence from Chinese literati painting, reimagined through a contemporary oil technique. The contrast between dark geological forms and vibrant seasonal color imbues the painting with a dynamic tension that is both meditative and energetic.

Historical Context:
Painted in 2013, this work reflects a period in Chinese landscape painting where many artists revisited classical themes through modern lenses. Li Yan’s engagement with traditional landscape subjects is filtered through personal observation and painterly innovation, continuing a lineage of poetic reverence for nature.

Provenance:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas is stable with no visible tears, and the surface shows no signs of abrasion or overpainting. Colors remain vivid and well-preserved.

Artistic Significance:
Big Mountain is a striking testament to Li Yan’s capacity to harmonize natural grandeur with lyrical serenity. The painting bridges past and present, tradition and individuality, offering a contemplative view of nature’s enduring power and subtle beauty.