Plum Blossoms and Peonies
1741
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1741
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see two tall scrolls side by side: the left one shows bare plum branches dusted with tiny white flowers, the right one a big, ruffled peony in pink. Gao painted this the year he left Yangzhou, so the flowers feel like a quiet goodbye. The plum blooms in winter, tough and plain; the peony is showy, summer-lush. Together they’re a year in two strokes—simple but full of feeling. If you like this, look up the subject: china, qing dynasty (1644-1911).
