Artwork Description

Title: Body
Artist: Shen Xinggong
Date: 2012
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 29.9 x 29.9 in. (76 x 76 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Rendered in a delicate yet assured hand, Body by Shen Xinggong presents a seated female nude, composed with subdued colors and softly diffused light. Executed in oil on canvas, the work demonstrates the artist’s disciplined command of figuration and compositional restraint. The figure is cast in quiet introspection, her form gently modeled against a neutral draped backdrop that enhances the tactile luminosity of her skin.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Shen Xinggong is a prominent figure in Chinese realist painting, whose practice is grounded in the traditions of academic realism while enriched by the expressive subtleties of Chinese aesthetics. The influence of European classical and post-impressionist portraiture is palpable, especially in the treatment of flesh tones and atmospheric depth. His style emphasizes serenity and naturalism, refraining from overt idealization while maintaining elegance and composure.

3. Historical Context
Created in 2012, Body continues Shen’s long-standing exploration of the human form, a subject he has taught and refined since the 1980s. Shen was part of a generation of Chinese artists who helped re-establish academic oil painting traditions after the Cultural Revolution, bringing a renewed focus to technical precision and classical beauty in figurative work. This painting reflects both the pedagogical rigor and quiet sensuality characteristic of his mature style.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas remains taut and stable, and there are no visible signs of craquelure, pigment loss, or previous restoration. Surface texture and color saturation are well preserved.

6. Artistic Significance
Shen Xinggong holds a revered position in Chinese art history as an educator, painter, and institutional leader. As vice president and professor at Nanjing University of the Arts, his contribution to the academic and artistic development of Chinese oil painting has been profound. Body exemplifies his philosophy: a dedication to classical form, nuanced emotion, and refined painterly execution. It stands as a compelling work within his celebrated oeuvre and resonates with collectors of both academic and contemporary realism.