清 金? 梅花 扇面|Plum
dated 1886
Medium
Folding fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on alum paper
Dimensions
7 x 21 in. (17.8 x 53.3 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
1986.267.79
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate painting by Jin Lan, dated 6 during China's Qing dynasty (1644–1), captures the timeless beauty of plum blossoms—ihua in Chinese—on a folding fan remounted as an album leaf Rendered in ink and color on alum paper, treated surface prized for its smooth absorbency and vibrant hues, the work measures 7 x 21 inches. Fans like this were everyday luxury items among the literati, often featuring nature motifs that doubled as personal emblems. Plum blossoms hold profound cultural symbolism in Chinese art, as one of the "Three Friends of Winter" alongside pine and bamboo. They evoke resi...