Flowers in Four Season 四季花卉圖
Qing dynasty (1644–1912), dated 1736
Wu Zhang 吳璋 Chinese, born 1670
China
Wu Zhang’s album affectionately documents four seasons of blooming flowers; they include hollyhock, iris, lingzhi (a type of mushroom symbolizing immortality), lotus, and peony. A court artist during the reign of the Emperor Yongzheng (reigned 1722–35), Wu was exposed to artistic influences from Europe brought to China by Jesuit missionaries. The brilliant yet refined coloring seen here—celebrating flowers in a tangible, even sensuous manner—was novel at the time.
Album of ten leaves; ink and color on paper