Artwork
清 佚名 山禽海棠 扇|Flowers with Birds
清 佚名 山禽海棠 扇|Flowers with Birds is an ink painting. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This work, titled “Flowers with Birds,” is an anonymous Chinese fan painted on silk.
About this work
Overview
This work, titled “Flowers with Birds,” is an anonymous Chinese fan painted on silk. Executed with ink and mineral pigments, the composition occupies the surface of a folding fan, a format that combines functional object and decorative art. The piece exemplifies the delicate balance between line work and color that characterizes many traditional Chinese fan paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The imagery presents a gathering of birds perched among blooming flowers, a motif often associated with harmony between nature’s fauna and flora. Such pairings historically convey wishes for prosperity and seasonal renewal, reflecting the aesthetic and symbolic concerns of literati culture.
Technique & Style
The artist employs restrained, flowing brushstrokes to delineate the birds and blossoms, while subtle washes of color add depth without overwhelming the linear structure. This economy of line, coupled with selective coloration, creates a sense of immediacy and elegance typical of silk fan painting.
History & Provenance
The fan is an unsigned work, its creator remaining unknown. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as a representative example of Chinese fan painting, illustrating the medium’s popularity among scholars and collectors in the Ming and Qing periods.
Context
Fans served both practical and artistic purposes in Chinese society, often exchanged as gifts or displayed as portable artworks. The integration of birds and flowers aligns with a broader visual tradition that celebrated natural motifs as carriers of poetic meaning.
Artist & collection
