Crested Myna Birds and Chrysanthemums
Xugu (Chinese, 1823-1896)
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), c. 1892
- Medium
- Hanging scroll; ink and colors on paper
- Classification
- Painting
- Dimensions
- 149.8 × 40 cm (59 × 15 3/4 in.)
- Culture
- China
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Asia
- Credit line
- Gift of Florence Ayscough and Harley Farnsworth MacNair
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
This quiet seasonal scene by Xugu pairs lively myna birds—starlings native to Asia—with chrysanthemums. The flowers, which bloom in late autumn, symbolize longevity and resilience. Myna birds, admired for their intelligence and animated presence, convey harmonious social exchange based on integrity and honesty. After a career as a military officer, Xugu became a Buddhist monk-painter. He was celebrated for revitalizing birdand-flower painting with his highly unorthodox style. Executed with brisk, calligraphic brushwork and subtle tonal variations, this scroll exemplifies his ability to balance disciplined structure with bursts of spontaneity. His abbreviated forms and expressive ink handling lend an air of vitality to this reflective moment.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
