Four Seasons of Flowers and Birds: Winter
Lü Ji (c.1439–1505), the preeminent court bird-and-flower painter of the Hongzhi reign (1488–1505) in the Ming dynasty, created Four Seasons of Flowers and Birds: Winter (176 cm × 100.8 cm, ink and mineral colors on silk, Tokyo National Museum) as the magnificent concluding panel of his celebrated four-scroll seasonal series. Painted in his artistic prime during the early 1490s, this work synthesizes the sumptuous gongbi tradition of the Five Dynasties master Huang Quan, the technical precision of the early Ming court painter Bian Jingzhao, and the bold xieyi brushwork of his contemporary Lin Liang, embodying the grandeur and versatility of imperial Chinese bird-and-flower art.
The composition of Four Seasons of Flowers and Birds: Winter masterfully balances stillness with dynamism. A rugged cliff dominates the foreground, where pale yellow plum blossoms and vivid crimson camellias bloom defiantly against the cold. Tiny sparrows huddle on the branches for warmth, while a pair of elegant pheasants (one resplendent, one muted) rests on a boulder. The middle ground is animated by a sweeping S-shaped waterfall, its fluid lines cutting through the quiet of winter, and the distant background fades into soft ink washes and deliberate negative space—ensuring the brightly colored flowers and birds remain the undeniable focus.
In brushwork and color application, Lü Ji demonstrates peerless technical command. The birds and blossoms are rendered with exquisitely fine double outlines and layered mineral pigment washes; his meticulous feather-stroking technique brings the pheasants’ plumage and the sparrows’ down to life with tactile realism. In stark contrast, the cliffs and tree trunks are painted with bold, dry brushstrokes and axe-cut texturing (fupi cun), their monochromatic ink tones grounding the delicate, richly colored floral and avian subjects without overshadowing their beauty.
The thematic heart of Four Seasons of Flowers and Birds: Winter lies in its celebration of resilience and auspiciousness. Beyond a simple winter landscape, the plum blossoms (symbolizing perseverance and the coming of spring), camellias (representing enduring prosperity), pheasants (a homophone for “great fortune”), and waterfall (signifying unbroken heritage) together convey blessings cherished by the Ming imperial court. Unlike Lü’s more overtly moralizing imperial commissions, this panel blends regal splendor with quiet observation of nature, inviting viewers to appreciate both its aesthetic richness and its deep cultural meanings.
Art-historically, Four Seasons of Flowers and Birds: Winter is indispensable to understanding the legacy and cross-cultural impact of Ming court bird-and-flower painting. It cements Lü Ji’s reputation as the master who seamlessly fused the refined gongbi tradition of Huang Quan and Bian Jingzhao with the dynamic xieyi style of Lin Liang. As the final panel of a complete, signed four-season series, it closes the cyclical narrative of nature’s transformation—linking back to the spring panel’s promise of renewal. Its long stay in Japan also makes it a critical artifact for studying Chinese court art’s profound influence on pre-modern Japanese painting, especially the Kano school.