A flower-and-bird scene fill this Chinese scroll painting, and it settles into a space the moment it goes up. The bird is what catches you first; the rest of the scroll arranges itself quietly around it. What makes it work are the particulars: peony, pink peony and red peony, painted with a light, sure touch.
Classic silk ground here — smooth, matte, and gentle with the palette. In China the written word outranks all other arts — a good hand was the scholar's calling card, in the old visual language of Chinese painting. Color stays pale pinks, mineral reds and lively, varied color — enough to lift the ink, never enough to shout. The composition gives peony pride of place, with pink peony to balance it. The silk ground lends the palette a gentle, matte richness — kind to the subject matter.
Collectors of bird-and-blossom art will find this an easy piece to live alongside. Collectors of bird-and-blossom art will find this an easy piece to live alongside. It is a fine example of peony and pink peony Chinese painting, the kind of piece that grows on you.
