Butterfly Orchid
Ai Zhongxin
1997
More information
- YEAR:1997
- MEDIUM:Oil on canvas
- DIMENSIONS:39 × 53cm
Introduction
Ai Zhongxin, a student of Xu Beihong, was an outstanding representative of China’s second generation of oil painters. His exploration of the “nationalization” of oil painting—combining realism with the spirit of xieyi (freehand expression) — is fully embodied in Butterfly Orchid. The blooming orchids are outlined with precise contours, while their petals are rendered with light, spontaneous brushstrokes, capturing varied postures in just a few strokes. Against a unifying turquoise background, touches of pale yellow, emerald green, and white draw the viewer’s focus, highlighting the graceful vitality of the swaying orchids.
