White Peony and Rocks 1752

Hua Yan's *White Peony and Rocks* is a hanging scroll painted in 1752. The delicate brushstrokes of the artist, known for his precise and realistic style, depict two white peonies in bloom against a backdrop of a rock formation. The peonies' delicate petals and leaves are rendered with careful detail, while the gray tones of the rock add a sense of depth and texture. The scroll, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, exemplifies the Qing dynasty's appreciation for nature and fine brushwork.