Beauteous Flowers: the Ten Friends
Beauteous Flowers: the Ten Friends
Artist
Creation date
1850
Materials
ink and color on silk
Dimensions
85 3/4 x 31 7/8 in. (overall)
Credit line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alan J. Strassman
Accession number
2000.79
Collection
Not Currently On View
Baiitsu depicts here ten blossoming plants in a variation on the Chinese Song dynasty theme of "Ten Friends," which assigned attributes such as purity or elegance to beloved flowers. Exquisite brushwork captures the delicacy of blooms and litheness of stems and leaves, strongly contrasting with the hard, faceted rock. Though essentially flat, the painting vibrates with movement.












