Finches and Bamboo
Emperor Huizong
(Chinese, 1082–1135; r. 1100–25)
Period:
Northern
Song dynasty (960–1127)
Culture:
China
Medium:
Handscroll;
ink and color on silk
Dimensions:
Image:
13 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (33.7 x 55.4 cm) Overall with mounting: 13 3/4 x 330 5/16
in. (34.9 x 839 cm)
Classification:
Paintings
Huizong was the eighth emperor of the Song
dynasty and the most artistically accomplished of his imperial line. Finches
and Bamboo exemplifies the realistic style of flower-and-bird painting
practiced at Huizong’s academy. Whether making a study from nature or illustrating
a line of poetry, however, the emperor valued capturing the spirit of a subject
over literal representation. Here the minutely observed finches are imbued with
the vitality of their living counterparts. Drops of lacquer added to the
birds’eyes impart a final lifelike touch.
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