Artwork Description

Title: The Last Few Red Leaves
Artist: Li Shan (李山)
Date: n.d.
Medium: Oil
Dimensions: 10.0 x 7.7 in (25.5 x 19.5 cm)

1. Artwork Identification:
This small-format painting Title:d The Last Few Red Leaves by Li Shan presents a poetic, minimalist landscape. Bare tree branches, marked by just a scattering of red and orange leaves, reach across a pastel-toned background of hills and sky. The composition is striking in its simplicity, conveying a serene yet poignant transition from autumn into winter.

2. Artistic Style and Influences:
Li Shan's approach in this work reflects a blend of modern Chinese painting sensibilities with elements of abstraction and primitivism. Though better known for his pioneering Bio-Art, this piece recalls the quiet lyricism of classical Chinese ink painting, rendered here in oil with a subdued palette and flattened perspective that emphasize emotional tone over realism.

3. Historical Context:
A prominent figure in the 1985 Chinese Avant-Garde Movement, Li Shan (b. 1942) was instrumental in ushering experimental art into contemporary Chinese discourse. While later renowned for integrating molecular biology into visual art, earlier works like this reveal his sensitivity to nature and landscape—a foundation that would evolve into more conceptually radical inquiries in the 1990s.

4. Provenance:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation:
Artwork is in very good condition, with no visible signs of restoration or surface damage. The pigments are stable, and the support is secure within its frame.

6. Artistic Significance:
This painting is an exceptional example of Li Shan’s early representational practice and serves as a meditative counterpoint to his later bio-conceptual works. Its modest dimensions and delicate visual language offer an intimate view of his evolving aesthetic and philosophical interests—making it both a collectible gem and a historically resonant piece.