Artwork Description

Title: Perspective
Artist: Hua Qing
Date: 2918
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 200 × 155 cm (78.7 × 61 in)

1. Artwork Identification
Perspective is a large-scale oil painting by Chinese contemporary artist Hua Qing, measuring 200 × 155 cm. The composition features a surreal, humanoid monkey-like creature standing atop a precarious pile of books, all set against a richly saturated deep red background. The visual tension and theatrical lighting emphasize the creature’s commanding pose and provoke immediate interpretive engagement.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Hua Qing is known for his symbolically charged figuration and conceptual storytelling. This work reflects a blend of magical realism and social commentary, using anthropomorphism and allegory in the tradition of artists like Walton Ford and Zhang Xiaogang. The red background evokes political and emotional intensity, while the books suggest knowledge, hierarchy, or ideological burden. The creature's centrality recalls classical portraiture while subverting its humanist assumptions.

3. Historical Context
Produced in the context of China’s rapidly evolving socio-political and intellectual landscape, Perspective may be interpreted as a commentary on authority, education, or evolution—both biological and ideological. The monkey-like figure could reference Darwinian ideas or the "monkey king" of classical Chinese mythology, layered with contemporary anxieties about cultural transmission and societal roles.

4. Provenance and Authenticity
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is framed and in excellent condition, with no visible surface damage or restoration. The oil medium is stable, and the colors remain vibrant, especially the dominant reds, which retain their visual potency.