清 唐炗 紅蓮魚藻圖 軸|Red lotus and fish

Tang Guang

Date unknown · Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

Tang Guang’s name is little recorded in Chinese painting history, but this work reveals that he was a sensitive practitioner of the Piling School manner of flower painting. More than just a decorative work, this painting carries an auspicious new year’s message: in Chinese, “lotus” (lian 蓮) sounds like “year” (nian 年), while “fish” (yu 魚) sounds like “abundance” (yu 餘). Taken together, the meaning is “abundance through the years” (niannian youyu 年年有餘).

Artist

Tang Guang

Date

Date unknown

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of Marie-Hélène and Guy Weill, 2015