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Jeweller pasting kingfisher feathers on a silver-gilt frame

Peichun Zhou

1885

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Writing

Dominant colour

Jeweller pasting kingfisher feathers on a silver-gilt frame is a 1885 paint by Peichun Zhou, a Impressionism work, depicting Writing, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Peichun Zhou
When & what style?: 1885 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

A person sits at a wooden table, carefully working with small tools and feathers. A bowl and a few scattered items lie in front of them. The background is mostly blank, with some text written in ink on the right side. The text looks like instructions for handling kingfisher feathers—likely for crafting jewelry. The artist focused on everyday detail, showing skill in small, precise movements. Next, check out Zhou, Peichun to see more of their work.

The story of this work

Overview

The painting shows a person seated at a long table, engaged in the craft of attaching kingfisher feathers to a silver-gilt frame. The composition is set against a plain background, with a Chinese description of the scene on the right accompanied by an English translation in pencil. The work is part of an album of over 200 numbered paintings depicting various occupations, customs, and cultural practices. Acquired from Maggs Bros., it was accessioned into the collection in 1900.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Peichun Zhou

Peichun Zhou's tiny paintings feel like overheard gossip. Every inch of the page teems with someone’s daily hustle—silver hairpins, paper flowers, or a jeweler gluing kingfisher feathers onto a trinket. You can almost…

See the richer artist page