This flower and bird scroll painting holds the red flowers peacock theme the way a good poem holds its subject: lightly, and completely. Tonal control is the star: darks that hold, lights that breathe. Among pieces of serene chinese wall decor, this is the quiet kind: balanced, calm, and easy to live with.
The red flowers appears as a small pleasure of the composition, easily missed and worth finding. Collectors will linger on the peacock, rendered here with unforced detail. Time slows a little in front of a painting like this. The picture balances fullness and emptiness in the classical manner. It is the kind of picture that grows quieter the longer you look.
It keeps good company with the finest elegant chinese wall scroll, the kind that rewards daily looking. Let it hang where morning light can find it; the silk will thank you. A thoughtful present for anyone starting a collection.
