Artwork Description

Title: Childhood Diary No. 3
Artist: Xinlin Jiang
Date: 2011
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 44.3 x 21.7 in (112.5 x 55 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
In Childhood Diary No. 3, Xinlin Jiang captures a vivid and heartwarming moment of rural childhood. Two children, beaming with unfiltered joy, embrace a pair of playful puppies against the backdrop of a modest village landscape. Their laughter and natural spontaneity form the emotional core of this work, conveying innocence, resilience, and the simple pleasures of youth.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Executed in a realist style with expressive warmth, Jiang combines fine detail with a painterly softness that evokes nostalgia. The natural lighting, careful anatomical rendering, and expressive facial features draw from traditional Chinese realism, while also engaging with contemporary figurative techniques that celebrate everyday life.

3. Historical Context
Completed in 2011, this work belongs to Jiang’s Childhood Diary series—a body of paintings reflecting the artist’s intimate exploration of memory, rural identity, and emotional heritage. It highlights the socio-cultural environment of northern Chinese villages during the early 21st century and acts as a visual diary of collective and personal experiences.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas surface is stable, with no visible signs of flaking, discoloration, or damage. The paint layer remains vibrant and well-preserved.

6. Artistic Significance
Childhood Diary No. 3 stands as a poignant celebration of youth and companionship, rendered with affection and technical precision. Jiang’s ability to translate emotional truth into visual form ensures this painting resonates far beyond its setting. It exemplifies the artist’s broader commitment to documenting human warmth through the lens of rural Chinese life.