Chen Shuren, Rep 3

Sometimes art doesn’t have to be overcomplicated to make a point. After all, a majority of our thoughts and feelings are driven by a simple and strong underlying motif. If we bring the entire spectrum of psychological responses we experience at the moment down to just one prevalent emotion, we’ll get something like a classic Chinese painting – laconic, expressive and conclusive. Works by Chen Shuren perfectly fit this description, as evidenced by his delicate landscapes one of which is right before your eyes.

Not a stroke without purpose

Traditional Chinese painting is the art of symbols. Each element of the composition expresses a certain mood or quality and the entire work becomes a metaphor of the artist’s emotional state. The choice of the theme, season, palette – all this plays an important part in clarifying this hidden message and inviting the viewer to look deeper into a seemingly plain image in order to find the meaning encoded by the author.

In Chen Shuren’s landscape, we see a classic scene – a bird sitting on a tree branch – that takes us back to the medieval bird-and-flower tradition combining two most elegant and spectacular natural motifs of Chinese art. Covered with numerous red and orange leaves, the tree reminds us of autumn. However, it’s hard to understand for a Western viewer whether the leaves are red because of the season or because the artist painted an exotic Chinese tree, unknown in other countries, that is red all year round. So it’s up to you to decide.

The black and white shape in the middle of the branch is a downside-looking bird, probably a magpie, whose attention is absorbed by something happening below. Perhaps it saw a beetle on the ground or another magpie on a nearby tree. The curious pose of the bird and its ruffled motley plumage add a sense of dynamics to the landscape. Although the scenery looks quite traditional, loose brushwork and ambiguous shapes give it a quality of an abstract oil painting.

Orientalize your interior

In China, magpie is viewed as a good omen, especially when it is depicted upside down like in this work. If you want Chen Shuren’s painting to bring you luck and fill your home with positive energy, there is a way to ensure that without getting your hands on the original! Our premium oil replica:

• - Precisely repeats the composition and palette of the actual scenery
• - Carefully reproduces the artist’s style
• - Is affordable to anyone!

Add character and elegance to your interior by decorating it with a marvelous hand-painted reproduction of a classic Chinese ink drawing by Chen Shuren!