Artwork
A Pair of Peafowl
A Pair of Peafowl is an unspecified painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Lin Liang. It dates from 1495 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1964.242
- Credit line
- Severance and Greta Millikin Collection
About this work
Overview
A Pair of Peafowl is an ink painting depicting a male and female peafowl on rocky terrain. The work showcases the artist Lin Liang's skillful use of brushstrokes and ink contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a male peacock with its tail feathers spread, accompanied by a female peahen bowing her head beside him, suggesting a hierarchical or symbolic relationship between the two birds.
Technique & Style
Lin Liang employed a range of brushstrokes and ink washes to capture the texture of the birds' plumage and the ruggedness of the rocks, demonstrating a mastery of expressive brushwork reminiscent of the Zhe School landscape painting style.
Context
The painting's style and technique are comparable to other works from the same period, such as Yin Hong's colorful peacock, highlighting the artistic traditions and influences of the time.
Artist & collection
