Silver Pheasants under Spring Blossoms, Ye Shuangshi, c. 1500
ink and colours on silk, h 287.5cm × w 142.5cm More details
This painting features a pair of silver pheasants scratching around a garden, while songbirds flit between rocks and a profusion of spring flowers: magnolia, crab-apple blossoms, peonies, roses, and orchids, as well as lingzhi mushrooms. Overall the painting conveys an auspicious message of everlasting prosperity. The painting’s monumental scale suggests it was made to create a compelling and pleasing visual effect.
