Qiu Ying's Spring Morning in the Han Palace

Author: Qiu Ying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-09-01
Features: "Spring in the Han Palace," a silk scroll, 30.6 cm in height, 57.4 cm in width, depicting the daily trivialities within the palace during early spring: dressing up, watering plants, pruning branches, arranging flowers, raising pets, singing and dancing, playing musical instruments, sitting around a stove, playing chess, reading, playing grass, looking in the mirror, admiring paintings, sketching, playing with children, delivering food, waving fans. The painting features 115 people, including empresses, palace maids, princes, eunuchs, and painters, each dressed in luxurious attire and displaying diverse poses. They appear both idle and busy, showcasing the artist's exceptional observational skills and masterful realistic technique. The characters are dressed in styles from the Tang Dynasty onwards, and the title "Han Palace" refers to the general term for palaces at that time. Qiu Ying was not skilled in poetry, and his inscriptions on paintings often read "Made by Qiu Ying," "Made by Shifu," or "Made by Qiu Ying and Shifu." Although this painting is exquisite in its artistry, the inscription remains a simple signature, without even the year marked—truly a regrettable omission.