Birds on a branch
Born in Fujian, Hua Yan (1682-1756) spent most of his life in Yangzhou, eastern China. He has been regarded as an important member of the group of eccentric artists associated with the Yangzhou School. Like other eccentric artists, Hua Yan is known for rejecting orthodox ideas about painting in favour of an expressive and individualist style. In this painting, Hua Yan abadoned the conventional method of depicting birds' static profile and instead focused on capturing the birds' different positions, as well as branches moving in a gentle breeze. The inscription reads 'In the wind above the field, groups of birds are twittering in the rain.'
Details
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Title
Birds on a branch
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Artist/maker
Hua Yan (1682 - 1756) -
Associated place
China (place of creation) -
Date
1682 - 1756 -
Material and technique
ink and colour on silk
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Material index
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Technique index
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Object type
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Dimensions
mount 55.7 x 40.7 cm (height x width)
page 37.3 x 25.7 cm (height x width)
painting 28.5 x 20.5 cm (height x width) -
No. of items
1
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Credit line
Purchased, 1960.
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Museum location
Museum department
Eastern Art
Accession no.
EA1960.227
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Further reading
Vainker, Shelagh, Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2000), no. 30 on p. 54, p. 42, illus. p. 54 fig. 30
Reference URL
