Artwork Description

Title: Figure
Artist: Dayu Wu
Date:Undated
Medium: Oil on paper
Dimensions: 7.5 × 5.1 in (19 × 13 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Figure by Wu Dayu is a small yet compelling oil or mixed-media work on paper, measuring just 19 × 13 cm. The composition is loosely figurative and decidedly abstract: broad, rhythmic brushstrokes suggest the presence of a human form rather than rendering it with precise details. Hints of facial or bodily contours emerge from a layered, gestural background, allowing the viewer to complete the figure in their imagination.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Wu Dayu (1903–1988) is renowned as a pioneer of Chinese abstraction, integrating Western modernist techniques with Chinese calligraphic traditions. In Figure, his gestural, energetic stroke is informed by abstract expressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism—movements he encountered while studying in Paris in the 1920s. The piece demonstrates a directness akin to his later crayon works: spontaneous yet deliberate, emphasizing "images of impulse" borne from color and form.

3. Historical Context
Emerging in the late-career period when Wu created compact, emotionally charged works—after enduring the Cultural Revolution—the piece reflects a turning inward and abstraction over public figuration. His late work, often Untitled and unsigned, embodied a personal visual logic grounded in the Chinese concept of shì-xiàng (the “image of force”), merging calligraphic rhythm with abstraction .

4. Provenance and Authenticity
For information regarding the provenance and authenticity of this artwork, please contact the gallery directly. Authenticity certificates and provenance documentation are available upon request.

5. Condition and Conservation
At its modest 19 × 13 cm size, Figure appears preserved and stable. The paper support is likely archival, with oil or mixed-media layers showing good adhesion and brushwork clarity. Due to its age and support type, a complete condition report is advised to assess any discoloration, warping, or required matting for display.