#43551 Byun Shi Ji

The artwork presents a cityscape dominated by a prominent vertical structure rising above a body of water and a series of arched bridges. The composition is framed within a rectangular format, with a dark border isolating the scene.
Here we see a dense urban landscape rendered in a limited palette primarily composed of warm earth tones – ochres, siennas, and burnt umbers – with touches of pale cream suggesting highlights. The artist employed a textured application of paint, creating a granular surface that contributes to an overall sense of visual roughness. Details are suggested rather than precisely defined; forms appear as if sketched with broad strokes, lending the scene a somewhat dreamlike or impressionistic quality.
The central vertical element, likely intended as a landmark, is sharply delineated against the sky, its form simplified into a series of ascending lines. Below it, a bridge spans the water, connecting the foreground to the distant cityscape. Reflections shimmer on the waters surface, echoing the forms above and contributing to a sense of depth. A small boat rests near the right edge of the frame, adding a human element to the otherwise impersonal urban panorama.
The subdued color scheme and loose rendering evoke a feeling of nostalgia or perhaps a melancholic contemplation of modernity. The artist’s choice to minimize detail encourages viewers to focus on the overall atmosphere rather than specific features. The limited palette could be interpreted as an attempt to convey a sense of timelessness, stripping away the specifics of place and time to reveal something more universal about urban experience. The presence of the boat suggests solitude or introspection within this vast environment. The signature in the upper right corner, BYUN SHIJI PARIS, provides contextual information regarding the artists identity and location, subtly anchoring the work within a specific cultural context while simultaneously maintaining its evocative ambiguity.