Artwork Description

Title:Portrait 10

Artist: Qian Zhongban

Date
n.d.

Medium:
Ink and Watercolor on Paper

Dimensions
14.6 x 12.6 in (37 x 32 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Portrait 10 is a refined ink and watercolor composition by Qian Zhongban, portraying a stylized female figure in half-profile. The subject's almond-shaped eyes, high-arched brows, and tightly coiled black hair are rendered with minimal yet expressive brushstrokes. A soft blush across the cheeks and subdued contouring of the lips lend the figure both elegance and restraint. The artist’s seal and signature appear at the lower left, grounding the work in classical Chinese painting tradition while simultaneously presenting a modern interpretation of beauty and form.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Qian Zhongban’s portraiture draws from the literati painting tradition and early 20th-century modernist influences. Portrait 10 demonstrates the artist’s control of fluid ink lines and washes, combined with a reductive aesthetic that suggests influence from artists such as Pan Yuliang and Amrita Sher-Gil. The formal minimalism and subtle chromatic shifts within the figure’s face and garment evoke an emotional subtlety more commonly associated with European modernist portraiture, yet the sensibility remains distinctly Chinese.

3. Historical Context
In post-revolutionary China, portraiture underwent multiple evolutions—from socialist realism to personal expressionism. Qian Zhongban’s work belongs to a broader revival of figuration that embraces individual emotion, psychological nuance, and gender identity. Portrait 10 can be seen as a quiet departure from the grand ideological statements of state-sanctioned portraiture, instead offering an intimate portrayal of femininity and introspection within a limited but resonant color palette.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, with the paper and pigments intact and well-preserved. There are no visible signs of foxing, tears, or water damage. The painting is archivally framed under protective glass with a wide mat and is suitable for immediate display and long-term conservation.

6. Artistic Significance
Portrait 10 exemplifies Qian Zhongban’s sensitive and modern approach to traditional Chinese media. His ability to capture emotional depth with elegant simplicity makes his portraiture both approachable and refined. For collectors drawn to ink painting and expressive figuration, this piece stands as a distinguished example of contemporary Chinese portraiture infused with grace, heritage, and quiet charisma.