Orchids 1922

Zhang Yujian created this ink on paper work, titled "Orchids", during the Qing dynasty. Zhang Yujian, also known as Mengfu, was a painter from Lou county. Orchids were a popular subject for Chinese literati painters because they represented refinement, integrity, and nobility, qualities valued in Confucian culture. But these associations also resonate with historical and cultural contexts beyond the symbolic. The orchid flower emerges as an assertion of identity. For artists who were part of the literati class, painting orchids became a way to express their social values and cultural identity in relation to the dominant political system. This work encourages a dialogue between the personal and political. It evokes a sense of introspection but also reflects broader cultural values during Zhang Yujian's time.