LIU FEI (B. 1964)
Panda
signed and dated 'Liu Fei 2010' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
57 x 57 inches (145 x 145 cm)
Painted in 2010.

Blending technical precision with quiet surrealism, Liu Fei’s Panda with Snail and Marble captures a tender moment suspended in time. A wide-eyed panda leans in curiously over a lacquered wood ledge, investigating a golden snail and a striped marble—objects rendered with near-photographic clarity. The grey background heightens the theatrical spotlight effect, drawing focus to the panda’s expressive gaze and the enigmatic still-life before it.

For Lorraine Schwartz, who acquired the work over fifteen years ago, the emotional pull was immediate: “I saw the bewilderment in its eyes—it felt like nature staring at something mechanical.” The work hung for years in the mantrap of her office, where it quietly radiated introspection and wonder. This piece exemplifies his ability to evoke both innocence and depth in a single frame—imbuing stillness with mystery and life.

Signed and dated on the verso.