Bird on a Bamboo Branch
Giuseppe Castiglione
Description
Lang Shining (Guiseppe Castiglione)
Italian, 1688–1766
Bird on a Bamboo Branch
China, Qing dynasty (1644–1912)
circa 1736–66
Folding fan, ink and color on paper
Gift of Mr. Alfred L. Aydelott, 1969/2.167
Guiseppe Castiglione was a painter from Milan, Italy who traveled to China as a Jesuit missionary in 1715. In Beijing, he became a court painter and served three emperors; he was especially favored by the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796). The materials used in this fan painting are traditionally Chinese—as required by his royal patrons—but the artist subtly introduces Western elements, such as shading, to give the impression of three-dimensionality. This exquisite fan conveys a wish for good luck in the New Year. The bird and mushroom, which has magical properties, symbolize longevity and prosperity, while the bamboo and narcissus signify the Chinese New Year.
On the reverse of the fan is a poem by the Qianlong Emperor, inscribed by Liu Tongxun (1700–1773). Another poem by the emperor, inscribed by Jin Deying (1701–1762), is on the fan’s wooden blades.
Subject Matter:
This exquisite fan conveys a wish for good luck in the New Year. The bird and mushroom, which have magical properties, symbolize longevity and prosperity, while the bamboo and narcissus signify the Chinese New Year. On the reverse of the fan is a poem by the Qianlong Emperor, inscribed by Liu Tongxun (1700–1773). Another poem by the emperor, inscribed by Jin Deying (1701–1762), is on the fan’s wooden blades.
Physical Description:
The lower section of the fan has rocks and grasses with mushrooms and several daffodils in bloom. A bird white bird with black face and blue head sits on a thin branch that is coming down from the upper left section of the fan.
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