Peonies, Roses and Bizarre Rock

Peonies and roses grown in profusion around an eroded garden rock. The two birds pecking the ground and the butterfly fluttering capture the atmosphere of a fine spring day. Fang Ji, an amateur painter from Anhui province in China, traveled to Japan several times as a merchant. While in Japan, Fang resided on the island of Deshima in Nagasaki, then Japan’s only port open to foreign trade.

In Nagasaki, Fang produced colorful bird-and-flower paintings. This example is among many in which he juxtaposed rocks against flowers, especially peonies, a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Combining ink with thick pigments applied in delicate gradations, Fang’s paintings have roots in the long tradition of bird-and-flower paintings in China. The rich, colorful, and realistic paintings he created exerted a strong influence on Japanese bird-and-flower painting. Fang was virtually unknown in China, as his artistic activity took place primarily in Japan.