Accession Number
1961/1.162

Title
Duck and Lotus

Artist(s)
Gao Qipei

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1690-1734

Medium & Support
ink on paper

Dimensions
47 13/16 in x 24 9/16 in (121.44 cm x 62.39 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Label copy
Gao Qipei
Chinese, 1660–1734
Duck and Lotus
China, Qing dynasty (1644–1912)
circa 1690–1734
Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection
Fund, 1961/1.162

Gao Qipei was a successful government official as well as an accomplished painter with an unusual technique: instead of using a brush, he painted with his fingertips, nails, palms, and the backs of his hands. In this large scroll, Gao depicts a duck swimming among aquatic plants in the shade of a cluster of lotus. The lively execution, harmonious washes of color, and untrammeled, variegated effects—impossible to achieve with a brush—demonstrate his consummate skill.

Subject matter
Gao Qipei was an accomplished painter with an unusual technique: instead of using a brush, he painted with his fingertips, nails, palms, and the backs of his hands. The lively execution, harmonious washes, and untrammeled, variegated effects—impossible to achieve with a brush—demonstrate Gao’s consummate skill in finger painting.

Physical Description
In this large scroll Gao depicts a duck swimming among aquatic plants in the shade of a cluster of lotus.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
hanging scroll

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
ducks (birds)
lotus (motif)
water (inorganic material)