Autumn landscape with egrets and ducks 1468 - 1499

Lü Ji painted this hanging scroll, "Autumn Landscape with Egrets and Ducks," using ink and color on silk during the Ming dynasty. The composition evokes a sense of harmony between humanity and nature, reflecting Taoist principles prevalent at the time. These birds are not merely decorative; they are potent symbols in the visual code of the Ming Dynasty, representing longevity and prosperity, values cherished by the elite class. The landscape tradition in painting was deeply intertwined with court patronage and the literati culture of the time. Artists like Lü Ji often navigated the expectations of both imperial taste and intellectual expression. As historians, we turn to period texts, social records, and institutional archives to unpack the complex web of meanings embedded in works like this. We seek to understand how art both reflected and shaped the values of its time.