Artwork

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock, by Gao Fenghan, ink, 1716
清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock, by Gao Fenghan, ink, 1716

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Gao Fenghan. It dates from 1716 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a hanging scroll executed in ink and color on paper, the composition falls within the landscape genre while focusing specifically on botanical subjects.

The work depicts a floral scene featuring chrysanthemums situated beside a rock. As a hanging scroll executed in ink and color on paper, the composition falls within the landscape genre while focusing specifically on botanical subjects. The imagery centers on the flower, presenting it as the primary visual element of the piece.

Created in 1716 by Gao Fenghan, the painting captures the natural form of the chrysanthemum in a traditional Chinese artistic context.

Technique & Style

The work is a hanging scroll painted in ink and color on paper, created in 1716 in China by Gao Fenghan. It belongs to the landscape genre of Qing‑period painting and depicts chrysanthemums beside a rock, a floral subject noted in its Wikidata record. The piece is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, where it is exhibited as a hanging scroll.

Its formal composition features a delicate arrangement of blossoms and stone, rendered with ink outlines and subtle color washes that emphasize the naturalistic setting.

History & Provenance

Created in 1716 by the Chinese artist Gao Fenghan, this hanging scroll depicts chrysanthemums alongside a rock. The work was produced in China using ink and color on paper. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a painting within the landscape genre.

Overview

Created in 1716, this hanging scroll by Gao Fenghan presents a modest landscape centered on yellow chrysanthemums that recline against a rugged rock. Executed with ink and light color on paper, the composition occupies a vertical format typical of Chinese scroll painting, inviting the viewer’s eye to travel upward along the delicate brushwork.

Context

During the early eighteenth century, Chinese literati painters often explored themes of nature as a conduit for personal expression. Gao’s choice of chrysanthemums, a flower associated with autumn and modesty, aligns with contemporary aesthetic values that prized understated elegance.

元  吳鎮  高節凌雲圖  軸|Bamboo, old tree, and rock
元 吳鎮 高節凌雲圖 軸|Bamboo, old tree, and rock, Wu Zhen

Artist & collection

Frequently asked questions

Who painted 清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock?

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock was painted by Gao Fenghan in 18th century.

Where can I see 清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock?

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock?

清 高鳳翰 菊石圖 軸|Chrysanthemums by a rock is associated with Baroque.