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Nandina

Qi Baishi Chinese
undated
Not on view
The Nandina, called Southern Heavenly Bamboo (Nantianzhu) in Chinese, has a range of auspicious meanings. Its profusion of red berries symbolizes abundance, while the similarity of the words for “bamboo” (zhu 竹) and “wish” (zhu 祝) makes the image of the plant suitable for use in a range of rebuses, or multipart visual puns.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 清/現代　齊白石　天竹圖　軸
  • Title: Nandina
  • Artist: Qi Baishi (Chinese, 1864–1957)
  • Date: undated
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 52 3/8 × 13 1/2 in. (133.1 × 34.3 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, 2014
  • Object Number: 2019.290.4
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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