Artwork
清 邊壽民 墨荷蘆葉圖 冊頁|Lotus Leaves and Water Reeds
清 邊壽民 墨荷蘆葉圖 冊頁|Lotus Leaves and Water Reeds is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Bian Shoumin. It dates from 1739 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
In Chinese visual culture the lotus is a canonical symbol of purity, moral resilience and spiritual awakening, rising unstained from muddy depths.
The painting shows a lotus plant emerging from still water, its leaves and reeds rendered in delicate ink washes. In Chinese visual culture the lotus is a canonical symbol of purity, moral resilience and spiritual awakening, rising unstained from muddy depths. By depicting the flower amid reeds, the work reinforces the theme of harmonious nature and the transitory beauty of the season.
Executed in 1739 by the Qing court painter Bian Shoumin, the album leaf functions as both a naturalistic study and a meditative allegory, reflecting contemporary aesthetic ideals that linked botanical motifs with Confucian and Daoist virtues.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1739, this album leaf by Bian Shoumin utilizes ink on paper as its primary medium and support. The work measures 21.9 cm in height and 47.5 cm in width. Stylistically, the piece is classified within the landscape genre, though its specific subject matter focuses on the depiction of lotus plants.
The handling of the medium involves monochromatic ink application to render the forms of lotus leaves and water reeds, characteristic of the artist's approach to botanical subjects within a landscape context. The format is that of a single leaf intended for an album, distinguishing it from hanging scrolls or handscrolls.
History & Provenance
The work Lotus Leaves and Water Reeds by Bian Shoumin (1739) is recorded as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. The sources do not provide an accession or inventory number for this album leaf, nor do they note any past exhibitions of the piece. Consequently, the specific catalog identifier and exhibition history remain unspecified in the available material‑2). Thus, the work’s provenance details beyond its current holding are not documented in the sources given.
Overview
"Lotus Leaves and Water Reeds" is an ink painting by Bian Shoumin, created in 1739. This work, rendered on an album leaf, exemplifies the artist's approach to natural subjects using only black ink on paper. It represents a common theme in Chinese painting, focusing on the subtle beauty of flora often associated with scholarly contemplation.
Context
As an album leaf, this painting belongs to a format often used for intimate viewing and personal reflection. Bian Shoumin was active during the Qing dynasty, a period when ink painting continued to be a central artistic practice. His depiction of natural elements like lotuses and reeds aligns with a long-standing tradition in Chinese art, where such subjects were frequently explored for their aesthetic qualities and symbolic resonance.
Artist & collection
