Artist: Lü Ji (1477-?)
Date: Ming (1368-1644)
Dimensions: Height 128.4 cm, Width 84.9 cm
Material: Ink and colour on silk
Lü Ji (1477-?), also known by his zi (designated name) Tingzhen and his hao (literary name) Leyu, was native to Siming (nowadays Ningbo, Zhejiang province). Lü Ji was entitled the command of imperial guards during the Hongzhi reign (1488-1505), serving as a painter in the Renzhi Hall. He was skilled in flower-and-bird painting in both meticulous and expressive styles. In this painting, the artist drew the outline of the flowers and stones and painted the birds in a naturalistic manner similar to that of Huang Quan—detailed and realistic yet not stiff.