If your wall needs a focal point, consider this: a flower-and-bird scene in a classic Chinese scroll painting. No wonder painters loved this subject; in this scroll it effortlessly carries everything. From a distance it's one image; up close it's chick, grape and vine, each worth a look on its own.
As a flower-and-bird painting it keeps easy company with far older works, without ever feeling derivative. Like much classical Chinese art, it carries a wish inside the image — grapes hang heavy with the wish for abundance. No passage feels labored. Chick gives exactly as much as needed, and no more. Colors on silk don't glare; they sit with a soft matte depth that suits this subject well.
A thoughtful housewarming choice for anyone with a soft spot for Chinese brush art. Place it where life slows down: near the books, above the tea things, or over a low console. It is a fine example of chick and grape Chinese painting, the kind of piece that grows on you.
