Artwork Description

Title: Rich Flowers
Artist: Zhang Guangxian
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and color on paper
Dimensions: 13.8 × 27.6 in (35 × 70 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
This elegant fan-shaped painting by Zhang Guangxian depicts a lush red peony in full bloom, visited by a delicately rendered butterfly. The composition is balanced and vibrant, combining fluid brushwork with a strong sense of movement and natural harmony.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Zhang Guangxian’s style exemplifies the expressive brush-and-ink tradition of Chinese flower painting, emphasizing symbolic beauty and compositional grace. The peony—a traditional emblem of wealth, honor, and spring’s vitality—is portrayed in bold washes of crimson and dark ink foliage, contrasted with the soft flutter of the butterfly, enhancing the lyrical tone.

3. Historical Context
The fan format has a long-standing presence in Chinese art, often serving as an intimate surface for poetic and decorative expressions. In this work, Zhang revitalizes this classical format with fresh energy, blending literati aesthetics with painterly spontaneity to echo the timeless appreciation of nature.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, with rich pigments and clean paper. There are no visible tears, stains, or structural issues, and the fan outline remains intact.

6. Artistic Significance
Rich Flowers demonstrates Zhang Guangxian’s mastery of symbolic flora and his sensitivity to traditional formats. The interplay between the stately flower and the butterfly’s ephemeral presence creates a poetic visual meditation on beauty and transience—hallmarks of classical Chinese painting.