Anonymous

Original: Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, 170 x 167 cm.

The painting depicts tattered lotus leaves growing along a riverbank. One goose calls with neck outstretched, while the other quietly preens its feathers. The arching leaves and turning blades of grass subtly suggest the force of the wind.                         -

The preening goose is identical in composition with another painting in the Museum's collection, attributed to Emperor Hui-tsung. It has been suggested that an artist working in the Imperial Painting Academy may have painted several versions based on an original by the Emperor.

The painting was executed on two pieces of silk. The center joining reveals that they may have been originally mounted separately.