Advanced Search

K-12 Educator
K-12 Student
Museum Visitor
UMMA Docent
UMMA Staff
University Faculty
University Student
Between and Mortarboard

UMMA Object Specific Fields




Query builder

How to Use the Query Builder
13 Items in this Learning Collection
Solitary Bird Perched on a Banana Plant
This painting depicts a solitary bird perched on a tropical banana plant. There are inscriptions and signature of the artist on the upper left-hand corner: "A farewell gift for Mr. Katsuizumi, as he goes south. Baishi."
Collection Object
Peach Blossom Spring
In this fan painting mounted as an album leaf, a fishing boat is moored at shore. Water stretches to the right, and above it calligraphic text recounting the story of Peach Blossom Spring. To the left of the boat, are green riverbanks, blossoming peach trees, and a man in a small cave.
Collection Object
Bird on a Bamboo Branch
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. 
Collection Object
Duck and Lotus
In this large scroll Gao depicts a duck swimming among aquatic plants in the shade of a cluster of lotus.
Collection Object
Autumn Colors at Mount Yu

Collection Object
Bamboo and Rocks
A vertical hanging scroll on white fabric. The image is in black ink on faded paper. A bamboo tree occupies most of the space. A signature is located in the middle on the left of the painting.
Collection Object
Landscape with Geese
Sweeping brushstrokes of varying intensity convey the general landscape of this painting. More detailed brushwork is used to illustrate eight geese flying low amoung plants or reeds.
Collection Object
Mountain Freshet, Wind and Rain
A fan mounted as an album leaf. Writing on the mounting is an identification statement of the Song dynasty fan painting. The landscape depicted trees growing from rocks at the lake shore. The waves are whipping the shore due to a rain storm.
Collection Object
Scholar with Roosters
This large painting of a scholar and two roosters. The scholar sits with books piled behind him, while the roosters below crane their necks to look back at him. The calligraphy on the top right reads:<br /> Would Your Excellency, my dear friend Xiaoting, kindly point out the inadequacies of this work? Ren Yi [a.k.a.] Bonian<br /> There are also two seals of the artist and one collectors seal.
Collection Object
Nuwa Repairing the Columns that Support the Earth

Collection Object
Crabs
The painting depicts two crabs with aquatic plants. The artist signed his pen name, Qi Huang, and sealed another pen name, Wood Hermit.
Collection Object
Summer Retreat
This is a very dense landscape painting. There are waterfalls, clouds, trees and cliffs present in the painting. The colors consist of muted greens and browns. Towards the lower half of the painting, there is a view of an interior with four figures present, three of which are sitting at a low table. There is a staircase on the lower right, with a man standing on it, looking upwards. There is also a house on a cliff towards the upper right of the painting. There is calligraphy in the upper right hand corner, with a red seal. There is another red seal, although a bit faded, in the lower left corner of the image.
Collection Object
Crane on a Pine Branch

Collection Object

Copyright
All Rights Reserved ()

Bird on a Bamboo Branch

Accession Number
1969/2.167

Title
Bird on a Bamboo Branch

Artist(s)
Giuseppe Castiglione

Artist Nationality
Italian (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1736-1766

Medium & Support
ink on paper

Dimensions
9 1/16 in x 24 3/16 in (23.02 cm x 61.44 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. Alfred L. Aydelott

Label copy
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. 

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
folding fan

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Birds
Plants
bamboo
bamboo (plant)
bird-and-flower paintings
calligraphy
calligraphy (process)
flower (motif)
flowers
great seal script

4 Related Resources

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted