Lost5

100 x 210 cmLost

This painting was created in 2018. With the end of the sketching class this year, my sketching journey stopped at a few simple drawings for Ms. Shihui. Of course, my oil painting skills have also improved a lot in the past year or so, and I have carefully explored my own way of speaking.

Overall Size: /
Size without the frame: 100 x 210 cm
Country: China
Date: 2018
Materials: Oil paint on linen
Condition:/

Creative themes and style | My works revolve around the creative concept of "The land of humanity, People on the land". The people in the painting are people in nature, and the lines, shapes, and colors are close to nature. The nature in the painting is nature in the eyes of humans, existing in interaction with humans.I don’t pursue a series of works with a fixed and continuous style. I hope that the style of the pictures will synchronize with the changes in my life and always remain oscillating. The performance of the work must be in sync with the development of one's own life in order to be Sincere and powerful. Ideas are later.

If you would like to collect this artwork or know more about the artist, please contact us.

Reference view

Family oil paintings lost 5

Artwork Interpretation

In terms of form, the figures are precisely shaped. The natural droop of the older sister’s long hair, the realism of the folds in her clothes, the simplicity of the younger brother’s bald head, and the meticulousness of the patterns on his clothes are all depicted in great detail. It can be compared to Albrecht Dürer’s realistic portraits, which restore the true nature of the figures with exquisite skills, allowing viewers to perceive the textures of skin and fabrics.

The composition is simple. The siblings lie on their sides in parallel, with the colorful lining cloth as the background, connecting the two. This layout that focuses on intimate relationships is similar to Pan Yuliang’s figure paintings, which amplify emotions with a simple composition, allowing the gaze to naturally focus on the interaction between the siblings.

The color matching is ingenious. The rich tones of the lining cloth contrast with the soft skin tones of the figures, adding a sense of life. The warm tones create a warm atmosphere, just like the warm colors in Pierre - Auguste Renoir’s works, conveying the temperature of emotions through colors and making the picture full of kindness.

The brushwork is delicate and changeable. Steady brushstrokes are used to paint the older sister’s clothes, while gentle ones are used to depict the younger brother’s skin. Through brushstrokes and the thickness of the paint, the differences in materials are restored, inheriting the way Nicolai Fechin uses brushstrokes to shape textures and conveying the intimacy of skin - to - skin contact.

The content and theme explore daily life. There is no grand narrative, yet the attachment and companionship between the siblings are condensed in the painting. Just like Jean - François Millet captures the warmth of the countryside, it refines profound emotions from ordinary scenes, making daily life a microcosm of human goodness.

The emotional expression is implicit and intense. The snuggling postures and approaching faces of the siblings tell the bond of blood. Viewers can read the pure childlikeness and the deep friendship between siblings, and be touched by the brushstrokes and tones, evoking the cherishing of family and friendship.

Recommended Works

Pan Yuliang’s Girl and Child: Focusing on the interaction of children, it wins with realism and warmth. Like this work, it explores purity from daily life and shows the charm of intimate relationships.
Pierre - Auguste Renoir’s Two Sisters: Painting the bond between sisters with warm tones and delicate brushstrokes. Same as this painting, it uses art to preserve the soft moments between children, allowing sincere emotions to flow in light and shadow.

FAQs

Q1: What kind of scene does the painting depict?

A1: The painting portrays an older child lying side by side with an infant, their foreheads almost touching. Between their gazes, there is a silent dialogue, as if the noise of the outside world has been shut away, leaving only this moment of intimate connection. The quiet closeness of the composition draws the viewer into a deeply personal space.

**Q2: Why is the work titled “Lost”?**

A2: The title suggests a sense of absence and the passage of time. While the imagery radiates tenderness and familial warmth, the name hints at something slipping away—perhaps the innocence of childhood or a sense of protection within family bonds. (In reality, the painting itself has been lost, which lends the title both a literal and metaphorical meaning.)

Q3: How are color and light handled in the painting?

A3: The background is dominated by shades of gray-blue and deep tones, creating a subdued, contemplative mood. In contrast, the center introduces streaks of red, yellow, and blue, like fragments of a dream or the fading glow of childhood. This interplay between muted and vivid hues creates a focal point that adds ambiguity and poetic resonance to the narrative.

Q4: What is the emotional core of this work?

A4: At its heart, the painting is about fragility and watchfulness. The infant’s innocence and carefree nature contrasts with the older child’s gaze of restraint and reflection. Though their poses are nearly symmetrical, they carry different weights—one embodies unguarded dependence, while the other hints at responsibility not yet meant for such a young age.

Q5: Where does the artistic appeal lie?

A5: Its appeal lies in the way it captures an intimate, authentic moment of kinship, while also layering it with the tension of loss. Through the contrast of warm and cool tones and the symbolic title, the work merges tenderness with melancholy. As viewers meet the gaze of these two figures, they enter a space that feels both comforting and bittersweet—a poetic reflection on childhood, memory, and what inevitably slips away.