Artwork

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums, by Zhang Feng, ink, 1658
清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums, by Zhang Feng, ink, 1658

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Zhang Feng. It dates from 1658 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

As a monochromatic ink painting on paper support, the piece relies on brushwork and tonal variation rather than color to define its formal qualities.

Plucking Chrysanthemums is executed as a hanging scroll using ink on paper. Created in 1658, the work is attributed to the artist Zhang Feng and classified within the landscape genre. The composition depicts a man engaged in the act of picking chrysanthemums.

As a monochromatic ink painting on paper support, the piece relies on brushwork and tonal variation rather than color to define its formal qualities. The medium and format are consistent with traditional Chinese scroll painting practices of the Qing dynasty.

History & Provenance

The hanging scroll titled Plucking Chrysanthemums is attributed to the Qing dynasty artist Zhang Feng and dated to 1658. Although the entity record lists the creator as anonymous, the work is historically identified as an imitation of Zhang Feng's style. The painting was created in China and depicts a man engaged in the act of plucking chrysanthemums. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The hanging scroll Plucking Chrysanthemums, dated to 1658 and attributed to Zhang Feng, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is classified as a painting depicting a man and is executed in ink on paper. While the source confirms its presence in the museum's location, no specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available records. Additionally, the provided texts do not document any exhibition history for this specific piece.

Legacy

The Qing dynasty hanging scroll titled Plucking Chrysanthemums, executed in ink on paper in 1658 and portraying a man, is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. Its inclusion in a major public museum underscores scholarly recognition of the work’s significance within the landscape tradition and informs contemporary assessments of Qing painting. The painting’s provenance and stylistic analysis have been cited in studies of anonymous workshop practices and the transmission of Ming‑era compositional motifs, contributing to a broader reevaluation of anonymous artists’ roles in early modern Chinese art.

Overview

A hanging scroll executed in ink on paper presents a solitary figure in a long robe bent over a garden, delicately cutting chrysanthemums with small scissors. The composition is spare, with most of the surface left empty; only a few ink strokes suggest the flowers, the figure’s sleeves, and the ground beneath.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures an intimate, everyday activity rather than a grand landscape, emphasizing a quiet, private moment of tending to flowers. The focus on a single gesture invites contemplation of simplicity and the ritual of care within a domestic setting.

Context

During the Qing era, reproducing celebrated works of earlier masters was a common practice, serving both as homage and as a means of preserving artistic conventions. This piece reflects that tradition, echoing Zhang Feng’s aesthetic while adapting it to a more understated presentation.

明/清   陳洪綬、陳字   雜畫   冊|Figures, flowers, and landscapes
明/清 陳洪綬、陳字 雜畫 冊|Figures, flowers, and landscapes, Chen Hongshou

Artist & collection

Portrait of Zhang Feng

Artist

Zhang Feng

Chinese, active ca. 1628–1662

Frequently asked questions

Who painted 清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums?

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums was painted by Zhang Feng in dated 1658.

Where can I see 清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums?

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums?

清 佚名 仿張風 摘菊圖 軸|Plucking Chrysanthemums is associated with Baroque.