Mynah and Wisteria in Zhuozheng Garden, Suzhou

Two small mynah birds perch among the delicate lavender blossoms of the wisteria vine in this composition. Cheng Zhang's infusions of bright color and use of wet ink for the leaves and branches are typical of the style of the Shanghai school (late 1800s–early 1900s), with which Cheng is grouped. The inscription on the painting tells us he based this composition on wisteria vines in the Humble Administrator's Garden; legend has it that the vines were planted by the renowned painter Wen Zhengming (1470–1559). Originally built in the 1500s, this garden, located in Suzhou, is among the most famous classical gardens in China. It is considered an example of the "Southern style" of gardens, which used rocks, houses, water, and plants to create as many perspectives as possible within a confined space.

Cheng Zhang was a native of Xiuning, Anhui province. Known for his flower-and-bird paintings and his landscapes, Cheng attracted
particular notice, especially among European and American visitors to Shanghai, for his experiments with a Western approach to visual perspective.