Butterflies and Peonies

Nam Gye-u

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Famous for his elegant paintings of butterflies, the literati artist Nam Gye-u earned the nickname “Nam Butterfly.” This scroll, though lacking the artist’s signature or seal, closely reflects his style. It was likely originally one panel of a multipanel screen, with each scene depicting butterflies fluttering amid a different flowering plant. Here, the subtly hued yet luscious peonies provide an ideal foil for butterflies of varying color and texture. Oversized relative to the peony blossoms, the butterflies command the viewer’s attention, as intended by the artist. In addition to being a talented painter, Nam was also well versed in poetry and literary criticism, the attributes of the ideal Joseon-period Confucian scholar.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art