Plum Blossoms and Peonies1741 · Study 1980.13

Context from the museum

One of the so-called Yangzhou Eccentrics (a group of painters who lived in Yangzhou and were known for their unorthodox art and lifestyle), Gao Fenghan depicts China’s two most loved flowers in full bloom—the “cold beauty,” or plum blossom, in the first section, and the “king of flowers,” or peony, in the second section. Painted in 1741, the year when Gao decided to leave the south and return home to Shandong province in eastern China, this work was likely a token of farewell. His casual brushwork may indicate his mental and physical struggle at the time. After having crippled his right hand in 1737, Gao used his left hand to paint and achieved a crudeness and eccentric style unattainable before.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

In East Asian art, peonies traditionally symbolize prosperity and wealth.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Plum Blossoms and Peonies is 96.2 cm wide and 26 cm high, equivalent to approximately 37.9 × 10.2 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 3.70:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.25 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 32.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 101.9 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Plum Blossoms and Peonies in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, handscroll; ink on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 96.2 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?