There is nothing fussy about this scroll: butterflies among the blossoms, honest brushwork, and room to breathe. The butterfly has always been a favorite subject, and you can see why — it carries the whole scroll. You'll notice orchid and white orchid woven through the composition, giving the eye somewhere to wander.
Confident washes and varied, animated lines give it the rhythm of a brush that never second-guessed itself. The symbolism is part of the pleasure: butterflies speak of joy, love and a light heart. The coloring is clean whites, in the mineral-pigment manner that ages gracefully. Stand back and the whole holds together; step close and orchid rewards the visit. It comes finished as a hanging scroll should be: silk-mounted, complete, needing no frame.
Few wall pieces suit a study or meditation nook as naturally as this. Choose a spot with a slow pace — the study, the tea corner, the hallway between rooms. It is a fine example of orchid and white orchid Chinese painting, the kind of piece that grows on you.
