Artwork
明 張翀 花鳥圖 扇面|Bird on a flowering branch
明 張翀 花鳥圖 扇面|Bird on a flowering branch is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Zhang Chong. It dates from 1590 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The bird's posture and the branch's delicate blossoms suggest a moment of stillness in nature, while the gold ground enhances the luminous quality of the scene.
The painting depicts a single bird perched on a flowering branch, a composition typical of Ming-dynasty bird-and-flower imagery. The bird's posture and the branch's delicate blossoms suggest a moment of stillness in nature, while the gold ground enhances the luminous quality of the scene. Within the genre's conventions, such images often conveyed themes of harmony and the fleeting beauty of life, aligning with literati ideals of contemplation and seasonal awareness.
Technique & Style
Created in 1590, this work by Zhang Chong is executed in ink on gold paper. The support consists of a folding fan that has been mounted as an album leaf, a common format for Chinese fan paintings. The composition depicts a bird perched on a flowering branch, rendered with the characteristic economy of line typical of the medium.
The use of gold paper provides a luminous background that contrasts with the dark ink, enhancing the visual impact of the floral and avian subjects.
History & Provenance
Bird on a flowering branch was created by the Chinese artist Zhang Chong in 1590. Executed as a folding fan mounted as an album leaf, the piece is painted in ink on gold paper and depicts a bird perched among flowers, characteristic of the bird-and-flower genre. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is catalogued among the museum's holdings of late Ming Chinese painting.
While the commission details and immediate ownership chain prior to acquisition are not detailed in the records, its creation is firmly dated to the late Ming dynasty. No specific accession number is recorded, and the sources mention no exhibition history for the object.
Overview
Zhang Chong's Bird on a Flowering Branch, created in 1590, is an ink painting on gold paper. Originally a folding fan, it has since been mounted as an album leaf, retaining its distinctive curved shape. The composition features a small bird perched delicately on a blossoming branch, rendered with precise brushwork against the shimmering background.
This work exemplifies the artist's skill in depicting natural subjects within the intimate format of a fan painting.
Context
This artwork originated as a folding fan, a common format for paintings during the Ming dynasty. Such fans were not merely utilitarian objects but also significant cultural artifacts, frequently presented as gifts among the educated elite and government officials. The use of gold paper for the ground underscored the item's value and the patron's prosperity, making it a fitting token to be discreetly carried or exchanged within social circles.
Artist & collection
