Artwork Page for A Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove

Details / Information for A Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove

A Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove

喬林百雀圖

1368–1644

attributed to Lin Liang 林良

(Chinese, 1416–1480)
Culture
China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Medium
handscroll; ink on silk
Measurements
Overall: 28.6 x 498.2 cm (11 1/4 x 196 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1981.4
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

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.
A horizontally oriented handscroll with black ink on silk features numerous sparrows among gnarled trees in muted brown tones. On our left, four large Chinese calligraphy characters sit beside a scene of small birds perched or flying near gnarled branches and thin stalks. Pale pigment coats the upper surfaces of the wood. The composition ends on our right with vertical columns of smaller calligraphy and red square seals.

A Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove

1368–1644

Lin Liang

(Chinese, 1416–1480)
China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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