Here butterflies among the blossoms take center stage in a traditional wall scroll, made for close, quiet looking. Generations of painters returned to the butterfly, and this scroll shows the tradition in good health. From a distance it's one image; up close it's peony and red peony, each worth a look on its own.
As a butterfly silk wall art, it sits comfortably alongside much older pieces without feeling like a copy. Beyond the looks, there is meaning: butterflies speak of joy, love and a light heart. The coloring is mineral reds, in the mineral-pigment manner that ages gracefully. The brush never overstates its case. Peony shows exactly as much as needed, and no more. At eye level it invites a closer look, yet never shouts over the room.
A frameless hanging scroll in the classic style — give it a wall and it becomes the room's calm center. Collectors of butterfly silk wall art will find this one easy to live with. It is a fine example of peony and red peony Chinese painting, the kind of piece that grows on you.
