Mandarin ducks and plum blossoms, Ming dynasty painting

Two mandarin ducks perch on a branch beneath blossoming plum, one with a blue crested head and orange-gold plumage, the other turned toward it with a pale breast. The ink and color painting on silk shows a dark olive ground with scattered flower petals and fine brushwork.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1368-1644

Medium

Ink and color on silk

Source

Smithsonian (National Museum of Asian Art)

Size

2876 × 4000 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art