San Diego Museum of Art - Flora and Plants (Four Seasons)

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Bookmark: https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/info/6735

Flora and Plants (Four Seasons)

Ding Wenwei, Chinese, (active 1827–1890)

Creation date: 1859

Creation place: China

Other Information

Type: Handscroll

Medium and Support: Ink and color on paper, handscroll

Credit Line: Gift of Ambassador and Mrs. Everett F. Drumright

Accession Number: 1982.85

Dimensions: 16 1/2 in. x 151 in. (41.91 cm x 383.54 cm)

Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Everett F. Drumright, Poway, California ( - October 19, 1982)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (October 19, 1982 - )

Label Copy

The handscroll (shou-juan or juan-zhou in Chinese) became popular as a painting format after the seventeenth century. This format easily conveyed historical, or in the case of this handscroll, literary narratives. The painter, who was either Ding Wenwei or Ding Lanshu, has grouped the flowers according to the seasons; each group is accompanied by a short poem. The metaphorical connection between beauty and flowers is also apparent in this scroll. Ting Wen-wei was likely a follower of Yun Shouping (1633–1690), who not only specialized in floral subjects, but also often captured the essences of plants with refine details.
This section displays plum blossoms, daffodils, narcissus, which often blossom in January and February, the months associated with Chinese Lunar New Year. This group of flowers likely symbolizes the early spring and New Year, and further a good wish for a new beginning.

Last Updated: 6/11/2019