Potted Flowers in a Blue and White Jardiniere 

Sanyu painted "Potted Flowers in a Blue and White Jardiniere" using oil on canvas, presenting a still life of contrasts and muted drama. The composition is dominated by cool blues and whites against a deep, shadowy backdrop, creating a somber yet striking visual experience. The structure of the painting is deliberately simple: a cubic flowerpot with a stylized Y-shaped branch is the base for a cluster of foliage and pale blossoms. The brushstrokes are broad and somewhat crude, yet they convey the texture of the leaves and petals. The arrangement is almost symmetrical, and the branches seem to split and mirror each other. The colour palette here is minimal, and the artist's limited tones suggest something beyond the merely representational. Instead of traditional harmony and beauty, Sanyu offers a study in how a few colours and shapes can evoke a particular mood, revealing a complex interplay between representation and the symbolic use of form.