清 趙之謙 牡丹 軸|Peonies
dated 1870
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
33 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. (85.1 x 41.9 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
1986.267.29
Art Historical Context
In the Qing dynasty's late flourish, Zhao Zhiqian (18291886) crafted this exquisite hanging scroll *Peonies* in 1870, a blend of ink and color on measuring 33½ × 16½ inches. As a versatile scholar-artist renowned for reviving archaic styles in painting, calligraphy, and seal, Zhao captured the opulent blooms with vibrant reds and lush greens, evoking the flower’s timeless allure in Chinese art. Hanging scrolls like this were designed for intimate display in elite studios or homes, unrolled for contemplation and then reverently stored, emphasizing their role in personal cultivation and connoiss...
About the Artist
Zhao Zhiqian · 1829–1884
Chinese, 1829–1884