Corner of a Courtyard

Ai Zhongxin, a representative of the second-generation Chinese oil painters, was mentored by masters Xu Beihong, Lv Sibai, and Wu Zuoren, devoted himself to exploring an aesthetic path of “freehand within realism”. “xieyi within xieshi”—infusing the spontaneous spirit of freehand brushwork into the disciplined practice of realistic representation. In the late 1970s, his artistic creation shifted towards a subtle observation of personal moods and everyday scenes. In this work, the artist integrates freehand brushstrokes into precise modeling, depicting a lively spring scene in a corner of his home courtyard. The pear blossoms, agave, and potted cacti are arranged in varying heights and densities, faithfully representing natural objects while distilling the imagery of an inner garden. It reflects the artist’s serene and clear spiritual state after years of accumulation and reflection.