Irises and Orchids

Yun Shouping (1633–1690)'s Irises and Orchids (ca. 17th century, leaf from Collaborative Album of Flowers and Landscapes) is an ink and color album leaf showing clusters of deep blue irises with slender, arching leaves intertwined with delicate pink orchids and their broad green foliage, rendered in the boneless (mogu) style using layered color washes without outlines. The irises bloom prominently on the left with velvety petals and subtle veining, complemented by the airy, moth-like forms of the orchids on the right, their hues blending seamlessly against a pale ground to evoke a serene garden harmony.

Artistic and Social Context

Painted in the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), this work exemplifies Yun’s refinement of flower-and-bird painting as a literati pursuit, drawing from his modest origins and exclusion from official exams to channel personal expression through nature. Influenced by Song-Yuan masters and his boneless revival of Xu Chongsi’s techniques, it marks his collaboration with Wang Hui in this album, where Yun contributed floral leaves paired with landscapes, inscriptions, and seals. Circulated among elite circles like the Changzhou School, it integrates poetry and calligraphy to promote aesthetic and moral cultivation, bridging classical revival with innovative washes amid the era’s cultural consolidation.

Interpretation and Meaning

Irises and orchids symbolize intellectual aspiration and refined integrity in Chinese lore—irises for wisdom and renewal, orchids for humility and noble friendship—together evoking the literati ideal of quiet virtue thriving in adversity. Yun’s restrained palette of cool blues for contemplative depth, warm pinks for gentle vitality, and verdant greens for enduring growth aligns with his "feeling taking" (qu qing) ethos, layering emotional resonance: the irises’ upright poise suggests resilience, the orchids’ subtlety invites introspection on harmony. The fluid washes merge flora into a unified whole, mirroring inner equilibrium and the fleeting grace of seasonal change.

Size

The original size of Yun Shouping’s Irises and Orchids is 28.5 × 43.0 cm (11 1/4 × 16 15/16 inches).