Artwork Description

Title: Girl
Artist: Shaoli Chen
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 76 x 72 cm

1. Artwork Identification
Girl by Shaoli Chen presents an engaging domestic scene rendered in traditional Chinese ink and watercolor, with two young women seated informally on a striped green couch. The relaxed posture, casual attire, and warm, intimate interior evoke a candid moment of everyday life. Chen’s composition balances decorative precision with a freehand elegance, capturing a subtle emotional resonance between the two figures.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Though Shaoli Chen is classically trained in oil painting, this piece draws from the stylistic traditions of Chinese ink wash painting while infusing it with a modern sensibility. The expressive outlines and careful color washes blend classical brushwork with a contemporary subject. The stylization of the figures—with exaggerated poses and playful facial expressions—reflects Chen’s interest in merging the illustrative quality of folk art with the academic rigor of formal composition.

3. Historical Context
Created by a prominent figure in Chinese contemporary painting and arts education, Girl reflects the social and cultural shifts in China over recent decades, especially regarding urban youth culture and domestic leisure. Chen’s focus on young women in a casual, personal space marks a departure from heroic or propagandistic themes, signaling the growing importance of private identity, emotion, and interpersonal relationships in post-Mao Chinese visual culture.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The paper shows no visible signs of discoloration, creasing, or foxing. Ink and pigment remain vivid and stable, with the washes maintaining their delicate layering and subtle tonal range.

6. Artistic Significance
Shaoli Chen’s Girl is a compelling work that bridges the traditional and the modern, highlighting his ability to fuse technical finesse with narrative charm. The piece stands as a testament to the evolving role of ink painting in contemporary Chinese art, where themes of youth, introspection, and domestic quietude are given center stage. It would appeal to collectors of modern Chinese ink works and admirers of genre scenes imbued with both cultural specificity and universal emotional appeal.