Branch of Tree with Flowers and Bird of Waxwing Family
Medium
Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
10 1/4 x 10 in. (26.0 x 25.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.100.137
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate artwork, *Branch of Tree with Flowers and Bird of Waxwing Family captures the serene beauty of nature through a single blooming branch adorned with vibrant flowers and a perched waxwing bird. Created by an unidentified artist during China's Qing dynasty (16441911), it exemplifies the era's fascination with floral and avian motifs, which symbolized harmony, prosperity, and the fleeting joys of life in traditional Chinese painting. Originally a fan, now remounted as an album leaf, the piece measures a compact 10¼ x 10 inches and employs ink and color on silk—a luxurious medium pri...