A Hundred Birds Worship the Phoenixes

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 12
Download Image IIIF

Terms of Use

Creative Commons

At A Glance

  • Period

    18th century
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Ink and color on silk
  • Dimension

    H x W (image): 34.3 x 236.9 cm (13 1/2 x 93 1/4 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1909.218
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1909.218

Object Details

  • Artist

    Formerly attributed to Xu Xi (active mid-10th century)
  • Provenance

    To 1909
    Riu Cheng Chai, Beijing, to 1909 [1]
    From 1909 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Riu Cheng Chai, Beijing, in 1909 [2]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 677, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. This object exhibits seals, colophons, or inscriptions that could provide additional information regarding the object’s history; see Curatorial Remarks in the object record for further details.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
    Winged Spirits: Birds in Chinese Painting (February 11 to August 5, 2012)
    Chinese Bird and Flower Painting (December 17, 1993 to May 31, 1994)
    Masterpieces of Chinese Painting (II) (May 9, 1993 to May 31, 1994)
    Chinese Bird and Flower Painting (January 27, 1986 to June 30, 1986)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Riu Cheng Chai (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Painting
  • Restrictions and Rights

    CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

    This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

    The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring