Birds and Narcissus

Birds and Narcissus

Xu Xiang

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Xu Xiang was first a student of Qian Huian, but later studied with Ren Yi and adopted a freer brush technique. In this fan, the easy naturalism of the pair of birds, whose white markings are used like highlights, contrasts with the rather still flower cluster frontally depicted in outline technique. Juxtaposition of different techniques and a strange lack of consistent scale combine to produce a picture that does not quite hold together, but it nonetheless describes the liberties that artists were free to take in the cosmopolitan climate of Shanghai.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.