Mother and Child in Historic Suzhou
Modern Art Painting

Mother and Child in Historic Suzhou

A heartfelt contemporary painting capturing a mother carrying her young son on her back, walking through a traditional Suzhou streetscape suggested by the warm building tones and classic architectural style. Rendered in bold, flat colors and clean lines, the piece evokes warmth, familial bond, and quiet dignity. The subtle references to Suzhou’s timeless architecture add cultural depth — making this artwork a beautifully emotional focal point for any home or studio, especially for lovers of Chinese heritage, family-oriented scenes, or evocative everyday life art.

The artist Mo Nong signing some of his artwork before I took it to my workshop for proper mounting.

This painting is not titled, but is signed by the artist, and authenticated with his red signature seal.

About the artist...

The artist goes by the name (Mo Nong). He lives in Beijing, the capital city of China.

This general style of painting that falls between modern art and folk art is done by many artists in China. Once the last modern I worked with retired, it took years to find another that I was really happy with. Finally, in 2012, I walked into the studio of Mo Nong, and found what I was looking for. His variety of composition and painting style make all of these paintings instant classics.

The day I met Mo Nong in his studio in the Panjiayuan artist community of Beijing.

About the art...

Mo Nong uses paint power and water (similar to gouache) to get vivid colors. This is applied to handmade xuan paper (often called rice paper, though there's no rice in it). When I took these painting to my workshop, they were mounted with a silk brocade border. This border can be used in lieu of matting when you frame this artwork.