Two swallows appear as tiny black notes against a white wall. Around them, rooflines, windows, branches, and broad untouched paper create an image at once architectural and lyrical. Wu considered this among his most representative works because it joins the clarity of modern design to the emotional charge of Jiangnan dwelling.
The picture's economy is deceptive. A few heavy horizontals anchor the houses; wiry branches disturb their calm; red and green marks punctuate the black-and-white field. The swallows are both observed birds and an old emblem of seasonal return, allowing personal memory to enter without turning the scene into illustration.
