# One Hundred Cranes 百鶴圖

- By: Shen Quan (Chinese, fl. 1725-1780)
- Date: Qing dynasty (1644–1912) 清朝, 1725-80
- Medium: Handscroll; ink and light color on silk
- Classification: Painting
- Dimensions: 30.3 × 381.7 cm (11 15/16 × 150 5/16 in.)
- Culture: China
- Credit line: Gift of Mrs. Richard Q. Livingston in memory of her husband, Richard Quigley Livingston
- Museum: [Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/75091)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/886766ee-3a14-0dd3-eaf5-6a84718ea719/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Cranes are closely associated with long life, wisdom, and transcendence, and their great number in this painting amplifies these meanings. One hundred cranes fill a tranquil landscape, creating a powerful emblem of longevity and fulfillment. Set amid mountains, water, and open sky, the birds embody harmony between the natural and cosmic realms. Images of cranes were often read as visual blessings and favored as birthday gifts: They expressed wishes for enduring vitality in a long, well-ordered life.

Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0