Who painted 清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers?

清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers was painted by Shu Hao in late 19th century.

Where can I see 清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers?

清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers?

清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers

Shu Hao , 1883

清舒浩賞蓮圖團扇|Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers is an ink painting by the Impressionist artist Shu Hao. It dates from 1883 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Shu Hao's "Zhou Dunyi admiring lotus flowers" is an ink and color painting on silk, created in 1883. This fan-shaped album leaf depicts the Song dynasty philosopher Zhou Dunyi contemplating lotus blossoms by a pond. The artwork serves as a visual homage to Zhou Dunyi's renowned essay on the symbolic purity of the lotus, a theme frequently explored in Chinese art.

Subject & Meaning

The painting centers on Zhou Dunyi, a prominent 12th-century Neo-Confucian philosopher. He is shown observing lotuses, which held deep symbolic significance for him. Zhou famously articulated that the lotus, despite growing from mud, remains unsullied, embodying the ideal of an individual maintaining integrity and moral purity amidst worldly complexities and corruption.

Technique & Style

Executed with ink and color on silk, this artwork is presented as a round, fan-shaped album leaf. The artist, Shu Hao, renders the scene with a contemplative atmosphere, depicting a man in a flowing robe standing beside a pond. Delicate pink lotus flowers emerge from the water, their forms contrasting with the subdued background, characteristic of traditional Chinese painting styles.

Context

Created centuries after Zhou Dunyi's lifetime, Shu Hao's painting serves as a visual reminder of the philosopher's enduring moral teachings. The artist's choice to depict this scene reflects a long-standing tradition in Chinese art, where the lotus frequently appears as a metaphor for virtue and resilience, often in quiet, reflective compositions that invite contemplation.