Artwork Description

Title: Perfume Lily
Artist: Li Jiang
Date: 2018
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 19.7 x 23.6 in (50 x 60 cm)

1. Artwork Identification:
Perfume Lily is a striking oil painting by Li Jiang, featuring a serene, introspective female figure entwined with vibrant lilies and flowing botanical forms. The composition radiates sensuality and vitality, blending figurative and floral elements in a dreamlike arrangement. The female subject, with closed eyes and peaceful demeanor, is rendered in expressive brushwork and a palette of bold reds, soft pinks, and electric greens that amplify the painting’s emotional and symbolic resonance.

2. Artistic Style and Influences:
A key representative of the Yunnan School, Li Jiang’s work reflects the movement’s synthesis of Eastern visual heritage with modern sensibilities. His style merges decorative exuberance with symbolic representation, drawing from Taoist philosophy, Chinese folk traditions, and Art Nouveau-like stylization. Perfume Lily demonstrates this aesthetic through its rhythmic composition, ornate linework, and spiritual tone, positioning the female form as both muse and metaphor.

3. Historical Context:
Emerging from the socio-political aftermath of China's Cultural Revolution, Li Jiang is part of the second generation of Yunnan artists who sought to reclaim personal expression through richly symbolic and emotionally evocative art. Painted in 2018, this work exemplifies his mature period, wherein themes of femininity, harmony, and renewal are expressed through dynamic imagery that transcends cultural boundaries.

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

5. Condition and Conservation:
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas surface shows no signs of deterioration, warping, or restoration. The bold, saturated pigments are well preserved, and the painting is housed in a substantial wooden frame that enhances its visual impact.

6. Artistic Significance:
Perfume Lily stands out as a lush, lyrical expression of Li Jiang’s ongoing exploration of inner life and spiritual beauty. The juxtaposition of feminine grace with botanical flourish renders the piece both intimate and expansive. As a collector’s piece, it captures the core ethos of the Yunnan School while reflecting Li Jiang’s signature ability to weave storytelling into vibrant abstraction.