元末明初 佚名牧羊圖團扇頁 絹本設色|Sheep and herd boy
Unidentified artist
14th century · Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on silk · Asian Art
Under a pair of willow trees, eighteen sheep spread across a summer meadow, some munching on grass, some nursing, others relaxing. While they rest, the young shepherd climbs one of the willows in pursuit of the contents of a bird’s nest. The overall tone is highly auspicious: the number eighteen suggests prosperity, while the mothers with children point to a wish for many offspring. The symbolism would have made this a suitable gift, particularly in the Year of the Ram.
- Artist
- Unidentified artist
- Date
- 14th century
- Medium
- Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on silk
- Culture
- China
- Department
- Asian Art
- Credit line
- John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
