The Beauty of Bird-and-Flower Paintings
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Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, By Lü Ji, China, Ming dynasty, 15th–16th century (Important Cultural Property)
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 8
March 19, 2024 (Tue) - April 21, 2024 (Sun)Birds and flowers have long been popular subjects of painting. They have been admired for hundreds of years not just for their beauty, but also for their individual auspicious meanings. The current exhibition presents how colored bird-and-flower paintings developed from the Ming dynasty in China (1368–1644) to the nineteenth century. Among the works on display are paintings in the style of 16th-century imperial court painter Lü Ji, whose art shaped the development of large-scale bird-and-flower paintings. This influence is evident in the work of those inspired by Shen Quan (b. 1682), who left a lasting impact on Japanese art. Works from the 18th and 19th century include elegant paintings by the Chinese literati artists.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Cranes and Pines in the Kunlun Mountains | By Lü Jian (dates unknown), China | Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century | TA-621 | ||||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons | By Lü Ji (dates unknown), China | Ming dynasty, 15th–16th century | TA-163 | ||
| Highlight | Deer and Cranes | By Shen Quan (born 1682), China | Qing dynasty, 1739 | Gift of Mr. Yamazaki Tatsuo, TA-641 | |||
| Highlight | Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons | By Wang Gang (dates unknown), China | Qing dynasty, 18th century | TA-82 | |||
| Highlight | Miscellaneous Paintings | Book | By Chen Hongshou (1768–1822), China | Qing dynasty, 1817 | Gift of Mr. Aoyama Keiji, TA-666 |