Artwork Description

Title: Lotus Rhyme
Artist: Wei Luning
Date: 2015
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.7 in (60 x 50 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Lotus Rhyme is a serene and lyrical oil painting by Chinese artist Wei Luning, completed in 2015. Executed on canvas with a masterful blend of painterly techniques, the work presents a vertical composition in which a pond blanketed with lotus leaves and blossoms unfolds into atmospheric distance. The water is rendered in soft, flat brushstrokes, contrasting with the richly impastoed surface of the foliage, where thick strokes give life and volume to the leaves and petals. The composition follows a subtle descending diagonal line, creating an elegant visual rhythm.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Wei Luning’s practice embodies a refined synthesis of traditional Chinese aesthetics and contemporary oil painting techniques. In Lotus Rhyme, the artist uses a delicate pastel palette—muted greens, soft pinks, and silvery blues—to convey the meditative stillness of a lotus pond. This treatment evokes both the symbolism of purity and resilience central to Chinese cultural iconography, and the expressive tactility of modern European impressionism. The interplay between smooth and textured surfaces adds dynamic contrast while maintaining the painting’s tranquil essence.

3. Historical Context
Born in 1952, Wei Luning has distinguished himself as a leading voice in contemporary Chinese oil painting. His focus on lotus flowers and water scenes places him in dialogue with classical Chinese painting traditions, where such subjects have long held spiritual and philosophical significance. At the same time, Wei’s training and technique reveal an engagement with Western modes of realism and abstraction, positioning him at the intersection of tradition and modernity. His work has gained wide recognition for its poetic sensibility and technical finesse.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas is structurally stable, and the paint layers are intact with no visible cracking or loss. The impasto elements are well preserved and secure. The painting is housed in a high-quality silver frame with carved leaf ornamentation, complementing the work’s delicate tonality.

6. Artistic Significance
Lotus Rhyme exemplifies Wei Luning’s unique ability to capture nature as both a visual and emotional experience. Through his skilled manipulation of texture, light, and form, he evokes the meditative spirit of traditional Chinese garden painting while employing a contemporary visual language. This work stands as a testament to his enduring artistic vision and offers collectors an opportunity to acquire a piece that bridges cultural heritage and painterly innovation with grace and depth.