Peacock and peonies on a rock

The peacock and peonies is a classic motif in Chinese painting, the execution of which here demonstrates great technical mastery. This large kakemono, or hanging scroll, is drawn in Indian ink using subtle shading and colour contrasts between the peacock with its dark plumage and the light-coloured peonies. The artist renders each feather in detail and uses broader brushstrokes to capture the texture of the leaves and branches. The work as a whole exudes an atmosphere of movement and grace.

The peacock, depicted in profile and perched on a branch, displays its broad, spread tail to the viewer. The tail occupies a large part of the work. Each of its ocelli is finely rendered, and in places blends with the large peonies surrounding it – symbols of wealth, prosperity and peace.

The peacock is certainly a decorative bird, but it also holds great symbolic significance in Asian art, particularly in China. It is a symbol of dignity, beauty and immortality. Its tail and ocelli are regarded as representations of wealth, elegance and good fortune.

The style of the work is typical of flower-and-bird painting (Huaniao Hua in Chinese, Kacho-ga in Japanese). This genre flourished in China, particularly during the Song dynasty, and was subsequently adopted and enriched by Japanese artists.  The peacock, combined with the peony motif, illustrates the phrase ‘wenming fugui’ (‘May you be rich in culture’). It came to be used with this meaning in Japan following the arrival of numerous Chinese artists fleeing the Manchu invasion in the mid-17th century. This theme, which thus evokes China and the world of the literati, is quite common amongst artists of the so-called Nagasaki school—the city that welcomed the refugees upon their arrival from China—

The presence of a red signature or approval seal provides information about the artist or the context of the work’s creation. The calligraphy reads “乙丑年” (the year Yichou), “李志” (Li Zhi) or ‘甲午年’ (the year Jiawu) ‘王守’ (Wang Shou). Judging by the calligraphy, the artist is probably Chinese or Japanese. The work could date from the 19th or early 20th century.

Indeed, in the Chinese sexagenary cycle, each year is designated by a combination of two characters: a ‘heavenly stem’ and an ‘earthly branch’. This cycle repeats every 60 years. The most recent Yichou years were 1865 and 1925, whilst the most recent Jiawu years were 1834 and 1894; it is worth noting that the year 1894 is particularly famous in China and Japan, as it marks the start of the First Sino-Japanese War. The painting is thought to date from one of these years.