Flower Container with Plum Blossom Trees

This flower container bears the seal and signature of the 19th-century scholar-official Wang Fengchi. When he was the governor of the Nankang Prefecture in Jiangxi Province, Wang frequented the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen—and he discovered there a new avenue for pursuing his passion for painting, calligraphy, and literature. On these vessels, he paired delicate images of plum blossoms with famous quotations describing the good fortune and scholarly spirit that plum flowers traditionally represent. This composition draws on the literary tradition of flower-and-bird painting, which often emphasizes the interaction between painting and poetry.