Artwork Description

Title: Four Landscapes
Artist: Li Rongzhou
Date: 2015, 2014, 2008
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.7 in (60 x 50 cm) each

1. Artwork Identification
This lot presents a cohesive suite of four impressionistic oil landscapes by Chinese painter Li Rongzhou, rendered across the years 2008, 2014, and 2015. Each canvas measures 60 x 50 cm and is executed with expressive impasto, capturing distinct seasonal moods and environmental textures. The scenes vary from tranquil riversides populated with fishing boats to lush village approaches and tree-lined country roads, each bearing the hallmarks of Li's painterly command and acute sense of atmosphere. The artist’s signature and date are inscribed in the lower corners of each composition, affirming authorship and temporal context.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Li Rongzhou’s landscapes are deeply rooted in the Chinese plein air tradition while showing affinities with Post-Impressionist practices. His deft use of impasto and broken color evokes Western masters such as Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley, yet the subject matter remains inherently local, imbued with an appreciation for Jiangnan’s terrain and agrarian rhythms. The varied brushstrokes—ranging from soft scumbles to gestural daubs—enhance the sensory immediacy of each work, aligning Li with a generation of Chinese artists who bridge domestic lyricism and European modernist technique.

3. Historical Context
Painted during a period of revived interest in landscape painting in post-reform China, these works reflect a national return to rural nostalgia and natural beauty amid rapid urbanization. By the early 2000s, artists like Li Rongzhou contributed to a quiet yet enduring countercurrent that emphasized direct observation, local scenery, and regional identity. His works serve as pictorial records of the transformation and continuity of southern China's riverine and rural environments, offering both aesthetic and documentary value.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
All four canvases are in very good condition, with no visible signs of structural damage, pigment loss, or overpainting. The paint layers retain their original vibrancy and texture. Minor surface grime consistent with age may be observed under close inspection but does not detract from the overall visual integrity. No conservation work is deemed necessary at this time.

6. Artistic Significance
Li Rongzhou (b. 1940) is a noted figure within contemporary Chinese landscape painting, celebrated for his commitment to plein air realism and for chronicling the regional character of his native environment. These four works exemplify the maturity of his vision and technical assurance, offering collectors an opportunity to acquire an ensemble that encapsulates his enduring aesthetic. Works by Li are increasingly sought after in both domestic and international markets for their quiet sophistication and emotive fidelity to place.