Artwork Description

Title: Autumn Wind and Late Mountain
Artist: Fang Jun
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and color on paper
Dimensions: 26.8 x 18.1 in (68 x 46 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Autumn Wind and Late Mountain is a refined and evocative work by Fang Jun, created in ink and color on paper and measuring 68 x 46 cm. Executed in a restrained mineral palette typical of traditional Shan Shui painting, the composition features towering, weathered cliffs rendered in textured brushwork, with sparse bamboo groves, a solitary pavilion, and tiny figures nestled below. The verticality of the scene contrasts with the open sky and muted tonal washes, creating a sense of both grandeur and stillness.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Fang Jun is a master of the Shan Shui (mountain-water) genre, yet his work deviates from convention through abstraction and poetic minimalism. His technique is rooted in classical Chinese painting, using pigments ground from natural minerals—a practice that imparts his work with organic texture and tonal subtlety. The presence of calligraphy and painterly inscription weaves visual and literary arts together, a hallmark of the scholar-painter tradition. Jun’s rendering of spatial ambiguity and symbolic scenery invites contemplation rather than literal interpretation.

3. Historical Context
A prominent artist and educator in Jiangsu, Fang Jun emerged during a period of renewed innovation in Chinese landscape painting. After graduating from Nanjing Normal College in 1965 and completing postgraduate studies at the Nanjing Institute of Arts in 1981, Jun contributed to the evolving vocabulary of ink painting through both practice and pedagogy. Autumn Wind and Late Mountain reflects this synthesis of classical influence and contemporary sensibility—positioning the work within China’s broader 20th-century artistic evolution following the Cultural Revolution and the rise of expressive modern ink movements.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The paper surface shows no signs of deterioration or fading, and the pigments remain vivid and well-bonded. Framed in a traditional hanging frame, the piece is ready for archival preservation or display.

6. Artistic Significance
Autumn Wind and Late Mountain exemplifies Fang Jun’s mastery of Shan Shui as a vehicle for introspective storytelling and lyrical abstraction. With its earthy palette, poetic inscription, and thoughtful composition, the work invites a timeless engagement with nature and artistic memory. A UNESCO-honored painter and respected voice in Jiangsu’s art community, Fang Jun’s landscapes are held in esteemed collections worldwide—making this a valuable addition for collectors of Chinese ink art and literati-inspired painting.