Elegant Lady by Xu Beihong

Inscription: Painted by Xu Beihong at Liangfeng'an on the outskirts of Chongqing in the 33rd year of the Republican Era (1944), a time of national crisis.

Appreciation:

Created during the darkest days of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Xu Beihong's Elegant Lady carries quiet power. A woman leans against bamboo stalks — the bamboo upright and resilient, the lady's features gentle yet strong. The brushwork blends Chinese and Western techniques: delicate lines define her form, while the bamboo reveals the artist's command of expressive ink. In its subtle strength, the painting embodies the unyielding spirit of a nation under siege.