Peonies
Unknown Artist
late 1200s
Medium
hanging scroll, ink and color on silk
Dimensions
256 × 105.7 cm · painting: 145.5 × 88.3 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1976.90
About this artwork
In China, the peony is considered the Queen of Flowers, representing the late spring season. The shrubs of this tree peony are in full bloom, blossoming in various colors. Peony paintings were popular from the Southern Song period to the Ming dynasty. The large scale of this decorative scroll suggests that it may have been hung in a reception hall, conveying good wishes for wealth and prosperity.