Birds, Berries, and Flowers 花鳥折扇
Ming dynasty (1368-1644) or Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Medium
Folding fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on gold paper
Dimensions
Upper width: 20" Lower width: 8-3/16" Rib length: 6-11/16"
Classification
album leaf
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
43165
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate elegance of *Birds, Berries, and Flowers* (花鳥折扇), a folding fan masterfully painted by Lu Zhi, a artist of China's Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Lu Zhi, associated with the Wu school of painting centered in Suzhou, specialized in the bird-and-flower genre—a tradition in Chinese art symbolizing harmony between nature and human life. This work, possibly dating to the early Qing dynasty (1644–1), captures birds perched amid vibrant berries and blooming flowers, evoking seasonal abundance and poetic tranquility. Rendered in ink and vivid color on luxurious gold paper, the piece sh...
About the Artist
Lu Zhi · 1496–1576
Chinese, 1495–1576