Red lotus and fish
Tang Guang’s name is little recorded in Chinese painting history, but this work reveals that he was a sensitive practitioner of the Piling School manner of flower painting. More than just a decorative work, this painting carries an auspicious new year’s message: in Chinese, “lotus” (lian 蓮) sounds like “year” (nian 年), while “fish” (yu 魚) sounds like “abundance” (yu 餘). Taken together, the meaning is “abundance through the years” (niannian youyu 年年有餘).
Artwork Details
- 清 唐炗 紅蓮魚藻圖 軸
- Title: Red lotus and fish
- Artist: Tang Guang (Chinese, ca. 1670–1690)
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Culture: China
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 48 1/2 × 22 7/8 in. (123.2 × 58.1 cm)
Overall with mounting: 88 5/8 × 30 1/2 in. (225.1 × 77.5 cm)
Overall with knobs: 88 5/8 × 34 1/4 in. (225.1 × 87 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Marie-Hélène and Guy Weill, 2015
- Object Number: 2017.327.3
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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