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A Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Sparrows engaged in all kinds of activities frolic amid leafy branches, blades of grass, rocks, and a waterfall. As our eyes move over the scroll, the artist engages us in enjoying the sparrows’ carefree movements in a natural setting. The charming birds were painted from close observation in swift and fluent brushstrokes. Sparrows are a common bird and in Chinese painting they often represent the commoner in human society as opposed to the noble pheasant or peacock representative of the ruling class.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineA Hundred Sparrows in a Lofty Grove (喬林百雀圖), 1368–1644. Attributed to Lin Liang (Chinese, 1416–1480). Handscroll; ink on silk; overall: 28.6 x 498.2 cm (11 1/4 x 196 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1981.4
