清 周存伯 花卉對屏 軸|Flowers: (a) Peach-blossom and Spiritual Stone; (b) Camellia, Narcissus and Buddha's Hand
dated 1870
Medium
Pair of hanging scrolls; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image (each): 49 1/2 x 12 3/8 in. (125.7 x 31.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, in memory of La Ferne Hatfield Ellsworth, 1986
Accession Number
1986.267.25a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pair of hanging scrolls, by Qing dynasty artist Zhou Cunbo in 1870, exemplifies the refined tradition of Chinese flower painting (hua niao). Titled *Flowers: (a) Peach-blossom and Spiritual; (b) Camellia, Narciss and Buddha's Hand*, narrow scroll (49½ × 12⅜ in.) is rendered in ink and color on paper, a medium prized for its delicate absorbency that allows subtle washes and precise brushwork. As a duiping—or matching pair—these works were designed to be displayed together in a scholar's studio or elite home, evoking harmony and balance. The subjects carry deep symbolic resonance...
About the Artist
Zhou Cunbo · 1820–1875
Zhou Cunbo (1820–1875) was a Chinese painter active during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911), a period when traditional ink and color painting on silk continued to flourish amid broader artistic continuity in Chinese visual culture. Little is known about his early life, which remains not well documented in available art historical sources. No records specify his training, teachers, or formal art s...