清 佚名 夏花圖 扇|Summer Flowers
18th century
Medium
Folding fan; ink and color on gold paper with bamboo frame inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ivory and jade
Dimensions
16 5/8 x 29 1/4 in. (42.2 x 74.3 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1982
Accession Number
1982.7.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Summer Flowers*, a exquisite 18th-century folding from China's Qing dynasty (16441911), crafted by an unidentified artist. This delicate artwork measures 16⅝ × 29¼ inches when open, featuring vibrant ink and color on gold paper. The painting captures the lush beauty of summer blooms, a timeless motif in Chinese symbolizing abundance, prosperity, and the fleeting of the season. Folding fans like this were far more than utilitarian objects; they served as portable masterpieces, carried by scholars, officials, and elites during social gatherings or leisurely strolls. The luxurious bamboo...