Painted in colorful gongbi, this wall scroll brings blooming peonies into the room with real presence. The peony gives the scroll its character — familiar, yet painted as if seen for the first time. Study it a while and red peony, blue butterfly and doves emerge from the background, each one carefully observed.
As a colorful gongbi peony painting, it sits comfortably alongside much older pieces without feeling like a copy. Beyond the looks, there is meaning: in China the written word outranks all other arts — a good hand was the scholar's calling card. The coloring is mineral reds, soft blues and lively, varied color, in the mineral-pigment manner that ages gracefully. Restraint is everywhere; nothing is pushed too far. Red peony gives exactly as much as needed, and no more. Painted on silk, the colors keep a muted, velvety depth that fits the scene.
If you keep a corner for reading or stillness, this scroll was made for it. Collectors of peony silk wall art will find this one easy to live with.
