Lotus Flowers and Birds c. late 19th century

ink, color-on-paper

natural stone pattern

abstract painting

water colours

handmade artwork painting

ink

tile art

color-on-paper

wooden interior design

coffee painting

painting painterly

watercolour bleed

watercolor

This six-panel screen, *Lotus Flowers and Birds*, is a late 19th-century example of Chinese art that utilizes a traditional subject. The anonymous artist depicts a tranquil scene with lotus flowers and birds in a variety of postures. The screen features a delicate use of color and brushwork, creating a sense of depth and realism. This piece is a reminder that the lotus flower symbolizes purity and enlightenment in Eastern culture, while the birds represent freedom and joy. The screen is part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Swallows and kingfishers fly among blooming lotus flowers in this folding screen, which would have likely been displayed during the summer months to decorate a room or a study. While commonly associated with purity in Buddhist thought, lotuses in Korea also symbolized gentlemanly virtues and noble character of the Confucian scholar, the ideal of the elite. As the lotus rises from the muddy water to bloom on the water’s surface, so too does a Confucian scholar’s virtue and honor remain untainted by the world around him.