This long Chinese hanging scroll displays a watercolor painted on silk depicting tall peonies and two ducks in shades of tan and white. In an otherwise monotone tan background, groups of four white clusters of peonies stand out, rising on barely visible tan stems with darker tan shadows suggesting leaves. In the bottom third of the scroll, two gray, tan and white ducks are seen along a low, rocky bank, one resting on the shore behind the peony stems and the other appearing to be flying in for a landing. The fabric upon which the watercolor is mounted is seen on the sides, revealing a brownish background and yellow hourglass shapes alternating with round latticework decoration.
Chinese
Peonies and Ducks,
about 1500
Ink and color pigment on silk; mounted as a hanging scroll
,
218.5 x 70.5 cm (86 x 27 3/4 in.)
Object details
Accession number
P29w6
Primary Creator
Chinese
Full title
Peonies and Ducks
Creation Date
about 1500
Provenance
Entered Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection at an unknown date.
Dimensions
218.5 x 70.5 cm (86 x 27 3/4 in.)
Display Media
Ink and color pigment on silk; mounted as a hanging scroll
Web Commentary
This painting depicts a pair of Mallard ducks swimming below peony blossoms. This painting is likely by a Chinese painter, but it is mounted as a hanging scroll in the Japanese style. Isabella Stewart Gardner collected East Asian paintings, including hanging scrolls and folding screens, and several of these works are displayed near the museum stairways and elevator.
Permanent Gallery Location
Third Floor Passage
Bibliography
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 261. (as Chinese, 15th-16th century)
Yasuko Horioka et al. Oriental and Islamic Art: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1975), pp. 29-30, no. 9. (as Chinese, Ming dynasty, about 1500; reminiscent of works attributed to Lü Chi)
Rights and reproductions
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This painting depicts a pair of Mallard ducks swimming below peony blossoms. This painting is likely by a Chinese painter, but it is mounted as a hanging scroll in the Japanese style. Isabella Stewart Gardner collected East Asian paintings, including hanging scrolls and folding screens, and several of these works are displayed near the museum stairways and elevator.