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Peonies
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
In China, the peony is considered the Queen of Flowers, representing the late spring season. The shrubs of this tree peony are in full bloom, blossoming in various colors. Peony paintings were popular from the Southern Song period to the Ming dynasty. The large scale of this decorative scroll suggests that it may have been hung in a reception hall, conveying good wishes for wealth and prosperity.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit linePeonies (牡丹), late 1200s. China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk; painting: 145.5 x 88.3 cm (57 5/16 x 34 3/4 in.); overall with knobs: 256 x 113.2 cm (100 13/16 x 44 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1976.90
