Winter Flowers

China

Not on view

The nandina, narcissus, rock, and magic fungus on this tapestry serve as homonyms for the phrase “heavenly immortals’ greeting of longevity” (tian xian zhi shou). At the lower right corner, there is a woven signature of Cui Ba, a painter who was active in the eleventh century and famous for his elegant renderings of flowers and birds. During the second half of the Ming dynasty, Cui’s paintings often served as subjects for tapestries, as can be seen in the emulation of brushstrokes on this extraordinary piece.

Winter Flowers, Silk tapestry (kesi), China

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