A Cotton Blossom Viewing Occasion

A group of young people and one older man gather in a cotton field. They seem to be doing a survey of the crop: a few have notebooks and pencils, and others are closely examining the plants. However, the beauty of the scene and happy facial expressions give the impression that it is as much a social event as a work outing. The young people in the group may represent "sent-down" or "rusticated" youth. These were urban students who were sent to rural communities during the Cultural Revolution to learn from farmers, such as the older man second from the right, who accompanies the group.

Little is currently known about the artist apart from what is provided on the inventory label on the back of the work: her name, Liú Fāng, and that she was female and 18 years old when she made the work in June 1973. Despite what some might see as a simplicity of technique, the painting demonstrates a sophisticated artistic vision in the composition and color scheme. The viewer is slightly elevated, giving us an overview of the setting. Subtle diagonals—in the line of figures and the break between the cotton field and sunflower field in the background—energize an otherwise tranquil scene. The serene, green cotton field that fills the composition is also enlivened by the group’s colorful clothing.