Art Institute of Chicago

Geese on a Riverbank

Shen Kai (Chinese, active mid-18th century)

Date

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 1750

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

Culture

China

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Depicting wild geese on a reed-fringed riverbank, this painting evokes themes of retreat, seasonal change, and poetic reflection. Brilliantly colored feathers contrast with the subtle ink rendering of branches, leaves, and chrysanthemums, merging vivid realism with quiet lyricism. The resulting scene reflects artist Shen Kai’s technical and expressive skill. By the 17th century, Chinese bird-and-flower paintings like this one were widely admired in Japan. Acquired by a Japanese collector in China at the end of the Qing dynasty, the work was later remounted in the Japanese style, with two vertical strips of highly decorative silk attached to the upper rod.

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