Lotus

Object Details

• Artist

  Qi Baishi 齊白石 (1864-1957)

• Label

  Qi Baishi helped to transform traditional Chinese painting into a contemporary idiom by combining features borrowed from both folk art and the elite tradition of scholar-amateur, or literati, painting. He was born into a humble farming family and worked as a carpenter before becoming a painter. Qi was first recognized for his portraits, but ultimately became famous for landscapes and especially for close-up studies of flowers, insects, shrimp, and small animals.

  By the time Qi reached his thirties, he was able to lease a house in Hunan Province with land to cultivate a lotus pond. Despite the rather bold, cursory style of this painting, its sensitive and realistic details reveal Qi's firsthand observation of lotus plants, one of his favorite subjects. Dark, mature seed pods and leaves that are beginning to fade and turn brown foretell the imminent arrival of autumn, but in cheerful contrast to this somber palette, a late summer blossom bends toward the water.

  Qi Baishi dedicated this scroll to an unknown Mr. Jianfei. It is dated to 1939, two years after the beginning of the Japanese occupation of China. Since Qi's works were equally popular in Japan and China, he was able to continue earning his living by painting during the war. Qi had a long and prolific career, influencing generations of students, including Chang Dai-chien (1894-1983), whose work is exhibited on the other side of this doorway.

• Provenance

  1939-by 1968

  Ownership information unknown

  By 1968-1987

  Arthur M. Sackler, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler [2]

  Notes:

  [1] The Arthur M. Sackler collection number “68.5.6” was assigned to this object, indicating that the object was in Sackler’s collection in 1968. See Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Gift Inventory sheet, 68.5.6, copy in object file.

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler was a physician, medical publisher, pharmaceutical marketer, and collector of Asian art.

  [2] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

  Research updated January 19, 2023

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  Xiangtan, Hunan province, China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. 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

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1930s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M.

• Place

  Xiangtan, Hunan province, China

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Lotus, Modern period (1912 - present)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings