Album of Blossoming Plum

Li Fangying

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The plum, the first flower to bloom in the spring, has long been admired by scholar-gentlemen for its fortitude in the face of harsh conditions. Its delicate blossoms, springing forth from gnarled trunks and twisted branches, are a symbol of renewal, while its fragrance carries connotations of moral purity and loyalty. Li Fangying developed a specialty for painting the blossoming plum, which he admired for its lofty symbolism and long association with scholar-painting, as well as for its viability as a vehicle for spontaneous, abbreviated brushwork and dramatic abstraction. This album, painted when Li was living at home mourning the death of his parents, exemplifies the artist's integration of poetry, painting, and calligraphy and shows off his distilled minimalism and ability to produce distinctive variations on a single theme. Born into a family of government officials in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, a district under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou, Li Fangying is traditionally identified as one of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou." In 1729, in recognition of his father's loyal service, Li was granted an official post by the Yongzheng emperor (r. 1723–35). He held a number of posts as a magistrate in Shandong and Anhui Provinces, but his service was repeatedly interrupted due to clashes with his superiors.

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