Crested Myna Birds and Chrysanthemums
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), c. 1892
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and colors on paper
Dimensions
149.8 × 40 cm (59 × 15 3/4 in.)
Classification
hanging scroll
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
46477
Art Historical Context
**Crested Myna and Chrysanthemums** a captivating hanging scroll by the Qing dynasty artist Xugu, created around 1892. This vertical painting (149.8 × 40 cm) showcases Xugu's mastery in the traditional Chinese genre of bird-and-flower painting, where crested myna birds perch amid blooming chrysanthemums. Rendered in ink and colors on paper, it exemplifies the refined literati style of late imperial China, blending delicate washes with bold outlines to evoke a sense of lively harmony in nature. Hanging scrolls like this were prized possessions in scholarly homes, unrolled for contemplation dur...
About the Artist
Xugu · 1824–1896
Xugu (1824–1896) was one of the most celebrated Chinese painters of the late Qing dynasty, renowned for his lyrical, highly individualistic approach to flower and plant painting that set him apart from both the orthodox academic tradition and the more popular Shanghai commercial style. Born Zhu Huairen in Anhui province, he took monastic vows and became a Buddhist monk, adopting the religious name...