Pine and Cranes Landscape, attributed to Xue Hua

Description
This oil painting on canvas presents a serene East Asian landscape featuring two elegant cranes set within a mountainous riverside scene, executed in a manner that closely follows traditional Chinese ink painting aesthetics while using Western oil media. The composition balances open atmospheric space with delicately rendered natural forms: arching pine trees, textured rock formations, flowing water, and softly layered skies in pale yellows, lilacs, and blues. The cranes, symbols of longevity and harmony, are rendered with careful linework and restrained coloration, their white plumage contrasting gently against the pastel background. Brushwork is fluid and controlled, echoing calligraphic traditions, while the overall palette maintains a calm, meditative tone. The work reflects a mid- to late-20th-century tendency among East Asian artists to merge classical literati subjects with modern materials, resulting in a decorative yet contemplative composition suited to refined interior settings.

Artist
The painting bears a signature reading Xue Hua (birth year unknown), written in Chinese calligraphy.

Artist Details
The artist’s identity cannot be definitively confirmed from the images alone. The style strongly suggests an artist trained in or influenced by traditional Chinese painting, adapting classical motifs—cranes, pine trees, and poetic landscape—into oil on silk. The use of seals and vertical inscription aligns with literati painting conventions rather than Western academic traditions.

Movements
Modern Chinese Literati–influenced Painting

Artist Influenced by
Influenced by traditional Chinese ink painting schools and classical literati landscape conventions.

Frame Condition
Housed in a simple black frame in good condition, with light, consistent wear appropriate to age.