Orchid after the Conception of Xu Wei (1521-1593)

Series TitleThe Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual, Part 2, Vol. 4: Orchids

Primary editor Wang Gai 王槩(編) (Chinese, active 1645 - 1707)

Date1679-1701

MediumColor and monochrome woodblock prints on Korean paper

DimensionsOverall: 12 1/8 × 7 3/8 inches (30.8 × 18.73 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust

Object number35-322/4

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East Asian Art

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Chinese orchids have long been a popular painting subject due to their graceful foliage clusters and understated blooms. Because of their fragrance and endurance in hardy environments, they have become symbols of virtue and reclusiveness.

The printmakers painstakingly carved the slender forms into woodblocks to resemble the calligraphic brushstroke as it would appear in painting. Each print bears an inscription, stating that it is designed after the style of a Ming dynasty painter. The attributions show how eager the manuals' publishers were to make a connection to the painting tradition.

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