Artwork
Gathering 'Jingsang' Mulberry Leaves
Gathering 'Jingsang' Mulberry Leaves is a paint painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist Jun Wu. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Gathering 'Jingsang' Mulberry Leaves is a painting from an album illustrating the silk production process.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts men using ladders to harvest mulberry leaves, which are used to feed silkworms, a crucial step in silk production.
Technique & Style
The painting is characterized by calm and practical brushwork, focusing on the everyday activity without dramatization, and features slender mulberry trees with straight trunks.
Context
The 'jingsang' mulberry, a variety common in north China, was cultivated for its leaves, highlighting the importance of sericulture in 19th-century China.
Artist & collection
