Courtesy name: Bian WenJin
An important court painter during the Yongle (1403-1424) and Xuander reign (1426-1435)
He was a native of the Long in Gansu Province and lived in Shaxian a Fujian Province. He was best known for his bird and flower paintings. Born in the year 1355 and died in 1428.
Three friends and a hundred birds (ink and colour on silk)
Consist of pine and bamboo and plum blossoms and 97 birds species.
The naming sense is about the three different plant species. The way I would depict this would be as if three very different plants grown in different seasons are drawn with his liberty together. Similar to the personification of how opposites attract and can form deep bonds and relations. How the three are together with the hundred birds drawn depicts a somewhat scenery of peace and serenity. Birds in Chinese symbolism also can mean a lot of things based on their species, from strength, protection and spirit messengers. Sparrows for example are believed to represent good luck. A symbol of auspicious good luck and then the messenger of spring.
The nature depicted in this art is concerning the four gentlemen flowers which were depicted a lot in Chinese floral paintings to represent the 4 different seasons. Plum blossom was is used to represent winter while the bamboo plant is used to represent summer.
The usage of the two plants gives reference to almost his representation of the new seasons from winter into summer. Two very different embodiments meeting. A way of describing the subtle changes and blossoms of the new. As birds freely come together and rest in nature. The idea of the four gentlemen was also depicted to represent the idea ‘ to live a good life ’. The symbolism and takeaway are that as the season's change, to expect the new and arrival of the different comings and to live a peaceful as we accept these changes.
Upon further research, Bian Wenjin had painted this at the official’s residence in Chang An which symbolises ‘eternal peace’ about the Nanjing capital then. This further led to the idea that he wanted to depict scenery and description of peace for the country. A hope that life would be smooth and well for the royal family and Ming Dynasty China. Like the reference to the idea that many painters in the early Ming period painted to depict the power and glory of the kingdom.
The control of his brush strokes and expression of patterns were detailed and a very mild and delicate look. The art piece expresses a very peaceful scenery.
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