Watching the Phoenix
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
Overall: 19 1/8 x 15 1/4 in. (48.6 x 38.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644) or later
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.100.31
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Watching the Phoenix** This enchanting hanging scroll, titled * the Phoenix*, hails from China during the Ming dynasty (8–1644) or later, created by an unidentified artist using ink and color on silk Measuring a compact 19 1/8 x 15 1/4 inches, it exemplifies the intimate scale of traditional Chinese scroll paintings, designed to be unrolled slowly for personal contemplation. The composition likely captures men in quiet observation of the mythical phoenix, a recurring motif in Chinese art symbolizing renewal, virtue, and imperial grace—often paired with dragons to represent harmony between y...