1368-1644
(Chinese, 1416-1480)
Handscroll, ink on silk
Overall: 28.6 x 498.2 cm (11 1/4 x 196 1/8 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1981.4
Sparrows engaged in all kinds of activities frolic amid leafy branches, blades of grass, rocks, and a waterfall. As our eyes move over the scroll, the artist engages us in enjoying the sparrows’ carefree movements in a natural setting.
The charming birds were painted from close observation in swift and fluent brushstrokes. Sparrows are a common bird and in Chinese painting they often represent the commoner in human society as opposed to the noble pheasant or peacock representative of the ruling class.
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