Art Institute of Chicago

Flowers of the Four Seasons

Artist unknown (spurious attribution to Prince Yongrong)

Date

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 18th/19th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and colors on paper

Culture

China

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Meticulously outlined and colored with a finely tapered brush, these multiseasonal flowers—including iris, peony, lotus, poppy, lily, narcissus, chrysanthemum, nandina berry, and plum—display a draftsman-like style mastered by court artists. The inscription on this painting attributes its image of floral abundance to Yongrong, the sixth son of the Qianlong emperor (r. 1735-95). Prince Yongrong supervised the Imperial Household Department, which served diverse needs of the emperor and his family in the residential quarters of the palace. The attribution of this painting remains open to study.

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