Artwork Description

Title:High-Color Figure

Artist
Lv Jiang

Date
n.d.

Medium:
Ink and watercolor on paper

Dimensions
20.5 × 9.4 in (52 × 24 cm) and 20.5 × 7.5 in (52 × 19 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
This vibrant diptych by contemporary Chinese artist Lv Jiang, Title:d High-Color Figure, presents two stylized female nudes immersed in fantastical, densely foliated landscapes. Executed in ink and watercolor on paper, the compositions dazzle with an exuberant palette of fuchsia, vermilion, jade green, and ultramarine. The figures, rendered with elongated forms and almond-shaped eyes, interact with symbolic elements such as a yellow caution sign and stylized natural motifs, suggesting layered narratives beyond the overtly decorative surface.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Lv Jiang’s unique visual language bridges Chinese ink traditions with pop surrealism and modernist stylization. Drawing inspiration from both classical Chinese figure painting and 20th-century Western modernism, his work recalls the playful yet provocative aesthetics of artists such as Egon Schiele and Yoshitomo Nara. His saturated color fields and flat compositional depth are reminiscent of Fauvism and Japanese ukiyo-e, while his figures retain a dreamlike theatricality distinctly his own.

3. Historical Context
Emerging in the post-1980s era of Chinese contemporary art, Lv Jiang’s oeuvre reflects the synthesis of cultural liberation and individual expression that followed the Reform and Opening-Up period. His generation saw the rise of an avant-garde that engaged with themes of identity, sexuality, and cultural hybridity. These works reflect an embrace of female agency and surreal narrative, echoing broader discourses around gender, myth, and postmodern allegory in Chinese art at the turn of the 21st century.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
Both artworks are in very good condition, with well-preserved pigmentation and no apparent signs of paper warping, foxing, or restoration. The surfaces appear clean and the structural integrity remains intact. Suitable for immediate display or archival framing.

6. Artistic Significance
Lv Jiang stands among a generation of Chinese artists who have reshaped the visual landscape of contemporary ink and watercolor painting. A professor at Nanjing Art College and a respected member of Jiangsu's artistic and literary circles, his work is notable for its intellectual playfulness and emotional resonance. These compositions, with their intricate floral density and iconographic nuance, exemplify his ability to marry ornamental beauty with subversive symbolism. Collectors of contemporary Chinese figurative art will recognize in High-Color Figure a compelling voice of critical creativity.