Swimming Geese
15th century
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1916.591
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Zhe School
Art Historical Context
Lin Liang (ca. 1428ca. 1495), a prominent court painter of China’s Ming, created *Swimming Geese* the 15th century. Active in the Zhe School tradition centered in Zhejiang province, Lin specialized in bird-and-flower subjects rendered with bold, expressive brushwork. His works often adorned imperial settings, blending naturalistic observation with the elegant conventions of court taste. This painting captures geese gliding across water, a motif favored in Chinese art for its suggestion of seasonal change and harmonious balance with nature. As a representative example of Zhe School painting, it highlights Lin’s ability to convey movement and vitality through fluid ink strokes, reflecting the Ming era’s renewed interest in lively, large-scale depictions of the natural world. *Swimming Geese* entered the Smithsonian’s holdings through the generosity of collector Charles Lang Freer, underscoring the enduring appreciation for Ming dynasty masters in Western collections. The work invites viewers to appreciate both its technical mastery and its quiet celebration of the everyday rhythms of wildlife.