Chinese Painting: Auspicious Subjects in Chinese Paintings

Cranes and Pines in the Kunlun Mountains (detail)
By Lu Qian, China, Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century

Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 8
July 27, 2021 (Tue) - September 5, 2021 (Sun)

In China, flowers, birds, and animals have been used to symbolize wishes for happiness, such as a long life, wealth, fertility, prosperity, and peace. These auspicious motifs were selected as subjects for paintings, and have been depicted continuously since ancient times. Since emperors, scholars, and ordinary people all shared a similar love for auspicious subjects, each of them depicted these themes in a style that suited their own taste. This exhibition features works with auspicious themes from the Tokyo National Museum collection as well as borrowed works.

Major Work(s) on Exhibit 7 results

	Designation	Name	Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance	Period	Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number	CMT
Highlight		Cranes and Pines in the Kunlun Mountains	By Lu Qian (dates unknown), China	Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century	TA-621
Highlight	National Treasure	Red and White Cotton Rosemallow	By Li Di (dates unknown), China	Southern Song dynasty, 1197	TA-137	On exhibit through August 15, 2021
Highlight	Important Cultural Property	Jasmine	Attributed to Zhao Chang (dates unknown), China	Southern Song dynasty, 12–13th century	Lent by the Tokiwayama Bunko Foundation, Tokyo	On exhibit from August 17, 2021
	Important Cultural Property	Two Sparrows and Plum Blossoms	Attributed to Ma Lin (dates unknown), China	Southern Song dynasty, 13th century	Gift of Mr. Yamamoto Tatsuro, TA-633	On exhibit through August 15, 2021
	Important Cultural Property	Lotus Pond and Waterfowl	Attributed to Gu Deqian (dates unknown), China	Southern Song dynasty, 13th century	TA-142	On exhibit from August 17, 2021
Highlight	Important Cultural Property	Cockerel and Bamboo	By Luo Chuan (dates unknown), China	Southern Song dynasty, 13th century	TA-341
Highlight		Celebration of the Harvest	By Jin Kun, Chen Mei, Sun Hu, Ding Guanpeng, Cheng Zhidao, and Wu Gui, China	Qing dynasty, 1740	Private collection

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