Artwork

元佚名蓮花圖對軸|Lotus and waterbirds

元佚名蓮花圖對軸|Lotus and waterbirds is an ink painting. It dates from 1300 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This artwork, titled Lotus and Waterbirds, comprises a pair of hanging scrolls rendered in ink and color on silk.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

In Chinese visual culture, the lotus symbolizes purity and spiritual enlightenment, while paired waterfowl connote conjugal harmony and fidelity.

The pair of hanging scrolls depicts lotus blossoms rising from a dense thicket of leaves and stems, while two waterbirds, likely mandarin ducks, are poised among the foliage. In Chinese visual culture, the lotus symbolizes purity and spiritual enlightenment, while paired waterfowl connote conjugal harmony and fidelity. The composition's emphasis on delicate yet resilient growth amid water suggests renewal and perseverance, themes resonant with Yuan-dynasty literati ideals that valued steadfastness under Mongol rule.

The birds' attentive positioning within the lotus suggests a harmonious coexistence with nature, underscoring the painting's moralizing intent.

Technique & Style

Created circa 1300 in China, this pair of hanging scrolls utilizes ink and color applied on a silk support. As an anonymous production from the Yuan dynasty, the piece demonstrates the period's specific handling of botanical and avian motifs within a hanging scroll format. The combination of ink washes with mineral or vegetable pigments on silk allows for the delicate rendering of the waterbirds and floral elements characteristic of this genre, consistent with the traditional methods employed for courtly or literati decorative screens of the era.

History & Provenance

The Lotus and waterbirds scrolls are a pair of hanging works in ink and color on silk attributed to an anonymous Chinese artist and dated to circa 1300. The paintings were created in China, though no record of a specific commission survives. They have been in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where they are currently housed; earlier ownership history is not documented in the available sources.

Overview

This artwork, titled Lotus and Waterbirds, comprises a pair of hanging scrolls rendered in ink and color on silk. It depicts a tranquil natural setting, featuring delicate lotus blossoms alongside various waterbirds. The painting's serene composition and intricate details exemplify a distinctive approach to traditional Chinese subject matter, though the creator remains unidentified.