Hibiscus and Kingfisher

Zhou Zhimian周之冕

During the late Ming dynasty, fans decorated with paintings of flowers and birds were popular with the gentry in Suzhou, Nanjing, and other wealthy Chinese cities. It was the fashion to carry these fans inside the voluminous sleeves of traditional Chinese robes, opening the fans at certain moments in order to imply the wealth and sophistication of the owner. The combination of rose mallow and kingfisher was an appropriate theme for such paintings since they were symbolic of nobility and prosperity. This fan was signed by Zhou Zhimian from Wu prefecture (Wu is the ancient name for the area modern Suzhou and its surroundings now comprise). Zhou is known for his vivid and brightly colored depictions of bird and flowers. He is particularly noted as a painter of birds and is reputed to have kept many varieties of birds in cages at his home so that he could observe and better understand them. Records of the period state that his paintings of birds "captured their likeness and were remarkable in spirit."