Artwork preview

Chinese bulbuls on flowering crab apple

Unidentified artist

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts two birds perched on a flowering crab apple branch. The birds are on the left and centre-right of the image, positioned on a diagonal branch that extends from the bottom-left to the top-right. The bird on the left faces right, with a long tail, black spots on its wings and head, and a white body. The bird on the right faces left, with a similar appearance, but its head is turned slightly upwards. The branch has several smaller branches with leaves and small flowers. The background is a light brown colour with four red seals, one in each corner. The seals are square and contain Chinese characters. The overall style is traditional Chinese art.

Artwork Details

Date
14th century
Medium
Handscroll; ink on paper
Culture
China
Dimensions
599 × 422 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette