Artwork
清 惲冰 花卉圖 册页|Flower Study
清 惲冰 花卉圖 册页|Flower Study is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Yun Bing. It dates from 1671 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition serves as a straightforward representation of floral beauty, characteristic of the artist's approach to the subject during this period.
Created in 1671, this album leaf by Yun Bing belongs to the still-life genre and depicts flowers. The work presents a direct visual study of floral subjects, focusing on the natural forms rendered in ink and color on paper. As a piece from the Qing dynasty, the painting captures the botanical details of its subject matter without additional narrative context provided in the available records.
The imagery centers entirely on the flower, emphasizing the artist's observation of nature within the album leaf format.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this specific leaf, which measures 31.1 cm in height and 34.3 cm in width. The composition serves as a straightforward representation of floral beauty, characteristic of the artist's approach to the subject during this period.
Technique & Style
The work is created on a single album leaf, a thin paper support typical of Chinese painting albums, using ink for drawing and polychrome pigments for coloration. The technique combines fine line work with subtle washes to render a solitary flower, a format that aligns with the still‑life genre of Qing dynasty art. The image measures about 31.1 cm in height and 34.3 cm in width, as recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art catalogue.
No specific condition issues are noted in the available documentation, and the handling of the leaf follows standard practices for preserving delicate ink‑color paintings.
History & Provenance
The album leaf titled Flower Study was created by the artist Yun Bing in 1671. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work depicts floral subjects within the still-life genre. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cataloged under the accession number 1983.412.1.
Specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the initial patron, or the intermediate ownership chain prior to the museum's acquisition are not provided in the available records.
The work titled 'Flower Study' is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York. It is catalogued under the accession number 1983.412.1, which identifies it within the museum's holdings. The painting, executed in 1671 on an album leaf using ink and color on paper, depicts a floral subject typical of Chinese decorative art from the period.
Its presence in the museum's galleries reflects its inclusion in past exhibitions of Chinese painting, though specific exhibition records are not detailed in the available documentation.
Overview
Created in 1671, this album leaf by the Qing‑era painter Yun Bing presents a single pink peony rendered on paper with ink and subtle washes of colour. The composition is intimate, focusing on the blossom and its slender branch, and exemplifies the small‑scale format typical of private Chinese albums.
Context
During the Qing dynasty, societal constraints limited women’s participation in official artistic institutions. Consequently, many female artists, including Yun Bing, expressed their creativity through modest formats such as album leaves, focusing on subjects like flowers that were socially acceptable and suited intimate viewing.
Artist & collection
