Squirrel and Grape - Liu Deliu

A delicate ink and colour painting on a fan-shaped surface, depicting a squirrel among grapevines in the traditional Chinese bird-and-flower style.

This work by Liu Deliu, a noted practitioner of the Lingnan School, captures a quiet moment in nature. Executed on a fan-shaped format, the composition features a squirrel perched upon a vine, surrounded by clusters of ripening grapes. The artist employs the traditional Chinese ink-wash technique, balancing controlled brushwork with softer, atmospheric washes of colour to define the foliage and the animal's fur.

Liu Deliu was known for his ability to combine traditional ink methods with a keen observation of the natural world. The squirrel is rendered with fine, short strokes that suggest the texture of its coat, while the grapes are depicted with rounded, translucent forms that imply weight and volume. The vine itself provides a structural curve across the fan, guiding the viewer's eye from the fruit on the left to the animal on the right. The negative space, characteristic of this genre, allows the subject to breathe within the frame.

In the lower left, calligraphic inscriptions provide context and poetic commentary, a standard element in Chinese literati painting. These characters are integrated into the overall design, balancing the visual weight of the grapes. The muted palette of earthy browns, soft greens, and indigo blues reflects the artist's preference for naturalistic tones over excessive ornamentation. This piece demonstrates the technical precision required for fan painting, where the surface curvature and the absorbent nature of the paper demand a confident, steady hand. It is a representative example of the bird-and-flower tradition, focusing on the observation of small, everyday subjects to evoke a sense of harmony.