Mandarin Ducks and Lotus Flower Painting
73.3cm
28¾"
73.5cm
29"

Approximate Measurements

Artwork Panel: 64.4cm x 64cm  ≈  25¼" x 25¼"

Silk/Brocade Border: 73.5cm x 73.3cm  ≈  29" x 28¾"

花好月圓

The Quiet Elegance of the Lotus Pond

This painting features a pair of Mandarin ducks floating through patches of lotus flowers and lilies.

In Chinese culture, Mandarin ducks or 鴛鴦 represent a loyal and affectionate couple or a happily married couple.

The artist's title for this piece is 荷塘清趣 or "Hé Táng Qīng Qù"
For the translation:
Hé = Lotus
Táng = Pond
Qīng = Clear
Qù = Sentiment
Together, Qīng & Qù = Elegance

The characters after that read, 歲在丁酉年 which is an ancient way to indicate this was painted in 2017. The artist signed it, 袁野畫並記, or "Yuan Ye Painted". 畫 is a character that in this context means, "painted by". 並記 means "also written [by]".

Materials used are watercolors on handmade xuan paper. The painting was then mounted with a copper-brown-colored silk brocade matting/border.


About the Artist:

This was hand painted by 袁野 (Yuan Ye) who lives near Guilin in Southern China. Most of his paintings feature fish which are his specialty.