Lotus blossoms on still water fill this Chinese scroll painting, and it settles into a space the moment it goes up. The lotus has always been a favorite subject, and you can see why — it carries the whole scroll. Look closer and you'll pick out white lotus, dragonfly and colorful gongbi — each stroke placed with intent.
The colorful gongbi handling shows in every stroke — fine outlines filled with layered mineral color. Beyond the looks, there is meaning: the lotus rises clean from muddy water, the classic emblem of purity. Expect clean whites and lively, varied color throughout; the restraint is deliberate, and it works. There is high summer in this scroll — full bloom, thick green, the long light of the season. Part of the charm is the upright format — the scene reveals itself as your eyes travel down.
It belongs in calm company: beside a bookshelf, over a tea table, or above a low sideboard. It arrives ready to hang in the traditional manner, frameless, and works wherever a quiet focal point is missing. It is a fine example of white lotus and dragonfly Chinese painting, the kind of piece that grows on you.
