Two Paintings of Deer Antlers 1762 - 1767

Curator: At first glance, there's almost something melancholic about these antlers. Stripped bare, like a skeleton in ink. Editor: And what a story they could tell. We're looking at "Two Paintings of Deer Antlers" a work produced sometime between 1762 and 1767 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. It’s currently residing here at the Metropolitan Museum. Curator: You know, there's a stark simplicity. I'm immediately drawn to how much space the artist leaves. The antlers almost float on this beige sea, emphasized by all those fascinating red seal marks. It reminds me how stark stillness can whisper loudly. Editor: Precisely. Consider the social context: Qianlong Emperor, although unlikely the direct artist, oversaw and very likely contributed to court painting at the time. We should look at the symbolism, since antlers were potent emblems of virility, power and longevity, particularly in the Qing Dynasty. The placement, alongside the seals and calligraphy, all elevate the status, lending additional authority. Curator: Authority and longing maybe? Or is that just me? Perhaps they hung in a scholarly setting, whispering of virile hunts past as he contemplates legacy in old age? Those crisp, spare lines capture something fleeting—mortality itself, ironically, expressed through emblems of power. Editor: That interpretation resonates! See how academic and traditional painting had become key tools to enforce political messaging during Qianlong’s time. Works like these naturalistic renderings legitimized the Qing dynasty as much as martial prowess. To link the imperial identity to powerful natural forces? That was savvy propaganda. Curator: And yet there's a tension in how spare this ink drawing actually is. Even the very formal, very considered addition of those imperial seals somehow increases the wistful mood and stark lines… it reminds me of my own quest for permanence via fleeting forms! Editor: Right? And isn't it fascinating how museums then further transform their role through curation, display and commentary—we essentially re-invest the artwork with layers of ever more changing meanings. Curator: Absolutely. The antlers have many tales left to grow.