Bird and Flower Painting "National Colors and Fragrance - Shengshi Fanghua

Paintings featured

1. Extreme realism of traditional brushwork:
   • Magnificent colors: the petals are dyed with layers of mineral pigments such as cinnabar, rouge, and vine yellow, and the translucent texture and three-dimensional layers of the petals are presented through the technique of “bumping water against powder”;
   • Subtle painting: the stamens are outlined with gold powder, the leaves are dyed with stone green veins, and the branches are chapped with ochre ink, showing the essence of “every flower and leaf can be read”.
2. A visual narrative of auspicious symbolism:
   • Two ribbon birds are perched on the branches of a peony bush, their red beaks and blue feathers reflecting the color of the peonies, which means “wealth and longevity”;
   • In the lower left corner of the picture, bees are dancing around, using the “silk hair method” to outline their fluffy feathers, concealing the secular prayer of “making honey diligently and gathering wealth”.

Detailed depiction

• Peonies in full bloom:
  • The petals of the main peony are stacked like clouds, the outer layer is dyed with rouge from dark to light, the inner layer is brightened with titanium white, and the golden stamens at the center of the flower are densely covered like stars, implying the noble weather of “thousands of petals saved in gold”;
  • The half-opened buds are outlined with dawn red, the green sepals are wrapped like a cup of pearls and jade, and the leaf blades are dyed with stone green and dark green on the front and back, with the leaf veins accurately outlined with iron lines.
• Ecological interest:
  • The branches are as gnarled as dragons, the old trunks are chapped with burnt ink to create a mottled texture, and the new branches are colored with green, showing the vitality of “withering and glory”;
  • In the background, the shadow of the bamboo hedge can be seen, which not only balances the composition of the picture, but also alludes to the literati’s state of mind that “wealth and riches do not conceal elegance”.

Artistic Value

1. Classic heritage of cultural symbols:
   • Peony has been a symbol of prosperity since the Tang Dynasty, and this painting inherits the spirit of the Song Dynasty’s courtyard style of birds and flowers, and combines the color and ink of Yun Shouping’s “bone-less method” in the Qing Dynasty, making it a model work of brushwork peony;
   • The inscription in seal script, “Blooming Flowers”, is inscribed at the upper left corner, while the Zhu seal, “Fanghua”, is inscribed at the lower right corner, forming a diagonal echo, reflecting the wisdom of the layout of traditional painting and calligraphy, which is “counting the white as black”.
2. It has dual values of decoration and collection:
   • The picture is busy but not chaotic, colorful but not vulgar, suitable for modern home decoration, but also can be used as a model for copying to study the traditional brushwork techniques;
   • If the author is a contemporary celebrity, his innovative brushwork that combines sketching and writing has more potential for appreciation.

Suitable Scene

• Main wall of living room: hanging on the background wall of sofa, matching with mahogany furniture and celadon ornaments, instantly enhancing the elegance of the space;
• Hotel lobby: as the central decorative painting, with marble pillars and crystal lighting to create a “noble and elegant” welcoming atmosphere;
• Cultural Pavilion: Displayed in the traditional art area, with the tools for the creation of brush painting, it can be used as a carrier for the popularization of aesthetic education.

Purchase Information

1. Framing suggestions:
   • Traditional lenses: aya framing selection of bright yellow ground group pattern, with mahogany frame imitation palace mounted pool, highlighting the royal rich weather;
   • Modern cardboard frame: matte metal fine frame + gilt rice paper lining, weakening the traditional sense of heaviness, suitable for light Chinese space.
2. Conservation guide:
   • Moisture-proof and insect-proof: the humidity of the storage environment is less than 65%, it is recommended to build in sandalwood insect-proof capsule;
   • Cleaning method: use a feather duster to flick the surface, avoid wiping with a wet cloth to avoid pigment shedding;
   • Display taboos: avoid the kitchen fume area, strong light environment needs to be installed anti-ultraviolet glass.

**✨ Hide the ingenuity **

• Miniature Poem: Liu Yuxi’s poem “Enjoying Peonies” is inscribed at the cracks of the bamboo fence, “Only peony is the true color of the country, and it moves the capital when in bloom”, which needs to be examined with a magnifying glass;
• The Four Seasons Code: the picture contains the first bloom (spring), the full bloom (summer), the fruitfulness (autumn), and the withered branch (winter), which implies the cycle of life;
• Eggs of Light and Shadow: Clam powder is used to stack the highlights of the petals, giving a three-dimensional relief effect when viewed in the side light.

Collector’s significance
The National Color and Fragrance of Heaven – The Fragrance of the World is not only a piece of brushwork peony, but also a blooming epic of Chinese aesthetics. When the petals are overlapping, you can see the weather of the world in full bloom; when the branches and leaves are intertwined, you can realize the way of withering and glory. If you hang this painting in your room, you don’t need to be filled with gold and jade, but you will be rich and noble.