Birds in Wintry Trees

Object Details

• Artist

  Formerly attributed to Li Di (active late 12th-early 13th century)

• Label

  The philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) once observed that pine and cypress are the last trees to wither in winter. Consequently, these two hardy evergreens became parallel symbols of longevity in traditional China, representing the virtuous gentleman who endures adversity with fortitude.

  While this painting depicts all three "friends of winter," the frigid scene is dominated by two ancient, weathered cypresses that grow on the slopes above a steep precipice. A tall stand of snowy bamboo peeps from behind some large boulders, while on the edge of the cliff at right, a bare, twisted plum tree provides a roost for several groups of small birds huddling against the cold. Various other birds are scattered throughout the painting: a pair of mandarin ducks makes an improbable nest among the icy grass in the foreground; below the first cypress, two magpies peck in the snow for food, while three of their brethren perch on the broken trunk and upper branches of the second tree. Across a vast chasm, snow-covered peaks shine whitely against the dark, wintry sky.

  Landscape paintings such as this, with most of the composition on one side and large empty areas devoted to atmosphere, originated in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). The current painting is a later reworking of an old composition, which may date to that time.

• Provenance

  To 1916

  Pang Yuanji (1864-1949), Shanghai [1]

  From 1916 to 1970

  Eugene Meyer (1875-1959) and Agnes E. Meyer (1887-1970), New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Mt. Kisco, NY, purchased from Pang Yuanji in 1916 [2]

  From 1970

  Freer Gallery of Art, bequeathed by Agnes E. Meyer in 1970 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] The painting was published and illustrated in Pang Yuanji’s catalogue, Antique Famous Chinese Paintings Collected by P’ang Lai Ch’en, vol. 1 (Shanghai, Privately published by Pang Yuanji, 1916), no. 26: “Li Ti, Old Cedar and Winter Birds.”

  [2] In 1916 Pang Yuanji, with the assistance of Pang Zanchen and Seaouke Yue, sent a group of paintings illustrated in Antique Famous Chinese Paintings Collected by P’ang Lai Ch’en catalogue to New York and showed them to Charles Freer. See Ingrid Larsen, “‘Don’t Send Ming or Later Pictures’: Charles Lang Freer and the First Major Collection of Chinese Painting in an American Museum,” Ars Orientalis vol. 40 (2011), p. 23. Freer made a selection of paintings for his collection and advised the Meyers and Louisine Havemeyer with their acquisitions. Freer’s copy of the 1916 Pang catalogue includes pencil annotations indicating that this painting was purchased by Agnes E. Meyer.

  [3] See Deed of Gift, signed by Agnes E. Meyer’s children and dated to May 31, 1971, where the painting is listed under no. 1, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Song Legacy (May 17 to October 26, 2014)

  Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Bamboo, and Plum in Chinese Painting (August 12, 2001 to February 3, 2002)

  Ming Dynasty Paintings (December 4, 1978 to June 14, 1979)

  Chinese Figure Painting (September 17, 1973 to January 3, 1975)

  Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Memorial Exhibition (September 25, 1971 to October 2, 1972)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Pang Yuanji 龐元濟 (1864-1949)

  Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer ((1875-1959) and (1887-1970))

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1500s, 1640s

• Name

  Meyer, Eugene and Agnes E., Pang, Yuanji

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Pine tree, Landscapes, Art, Snow, Chinese Art, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings