清 任頤 冊頁|Two Birds Perched on a Flowering Rose Bush

The work titled Two Birds Perched on a Flowering Rose Bush was produced in 1870 in China by Ren Yi, also known as Ren Bonian, as an album leaf painted in ink and color on paper. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under its original title and remains on view. The painting’s creation corresponds to the late Qing period, reflecting the artist’s focus on avian subjects within a naturalistic setting.

Its provenance traces from the artist’s studio to the museum’s acquisition, although specific acquisition details are not documented in the available records.

The album leaf titled Two Birds Perched on a Flowering Rose Bush is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created by the artist Ren Yi (also known as Ren Bonian) in 1870, the work is part of a larger album of landscape and bird paintings. While the specific inventory or accession number is not detailed in the provided sources, the museum's records confirm its presence in their holdings of Chinese paintings.

The artwork measures 27.6 cm in height and 27.0 cm in width. No exhibition history is documented in the available records.

Ren Yi’s 1870 album leaf Two Birds Perched on a Flowering Rose Bush exemplifies his mastery of bird-and-flower subjects within the Qing painting tradition. The piece, documented in contemporary catalogues, later entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its inclusion has shaped scholarly assessments of Ren Yi’s role in revitalizing traditional subjects during the late nineteenth century. Its compositional balance and delicate coloration have been cited in studies of late Qing decorative arts, influencing subsequent generations of painters who adapted similar motifs for both fine art and commercial media.

Ren Yi’s album leaf, dated 1870, presents a compact scene of two birds perched amid a blooming rose shrub. Executed with ink and color on paper, the work measures only a few centimeters, intended for personal viewing rather than wall display.