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Phoenix among rocks and flowers
From the collection of National Museum of Asian Art (Freer/Sackler). Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Weavers of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) often produced strong graphic designs. The large blocks of color and bright blue tonalities of this bold image correspond with the visual effects achieved in fahua ceramics, as well as with cloisonné. This composition features the mythological phoenix--the so-called king of birds in Chinese culture and a creature said to appear on earth only when righteousness reigns. The phoenix shown with an effulgent tree peony is an image signifying wealth and nobility.
National Museum of Asian Art (Freer/Sackler)’s own descriptionCredit linePhoenix among rocks and flowers. 16th--early 17th century. National Museum of Asian Art (Freer/Sackler), Gift of Charles Lang Freer. CC0.
