Chrysanthemums, bamboo, plum blossom and orchid are considered as four gentlemen and are the favourite symbols depicted in Chinese literati paintings, to serve as a reminder to the artist or a reflection of himself. Among the four symbols, Chrysanthemums are known for their light fragrance and its resistant to cold frost, thus they symbolize purity in a gentleman. Bamboo stands straight and tall, symbolizing noble character with strong morality. This painting, Bamboo and Chrysanthemums (Lot 671), Zhang Daqian used the two subject matters with a captioned poem by Zheng Banqiao, Bamboo were initially grown next to chrysanthemums as a form of protection. Who would have guessed that this forms a brand new picture, suggesting harmony when gentlemen gather together.”

In this painting, chrysanthemums flourished next to an aged bamboo. Zhang used light coloured ink and swift brushstrokes to outline the petals of flowers, then filled the petals with yellow ink. Leaves were painted with boneless technique, to display its myriad state and forms in nature. In the lower part of the painting, the bamboo branches were placed around the flowers. These branches were painted elegantly with centered tip, whereas the leaves were painted with both centered and slanted tips, suggesting the artist’s employment of calligraphy techniques. This contrasts greatly with the skills with the chrysanthemums. Zhang had his own theory in depicting chrysanthemums, “Chrysanthemums have its own individuality and will not be affected by its surroundings. Petals should be sketched starting from the largest petal on the outer rim, with light ink, then gradually raising the intensity of ink. The branches of chrysanthemums should be painted straight with nodes. Leaves should be painted with thick and light ink, with great attention to the right density.”

Despite the clever employment of techniques in such flower paintings from an early age, Zhang Daqian was known widely by his talent in gongbi portraits and pocai landscape paintings. His flower paintings were influenced by early Shanghai paintings, later by those from Ming dynasty. Zhang once mentioned, Flowers depicted by Ming painters in minimalistic style. My favourite artist is Chen Chun, followed by Shen Zhou and Xu Wei.”From this painting of chrysanthemums, the composition was minimalistic with simple lines and light colours. Under the comparison with those of the abovementioned predecessors, his paintings achieved similar level of prodigy.

In the modern art world the artist whose flower paintings could be comparable to Zhang Daqian’s should be Sanyu. It is interesting to see the depiction of the same flower, chrysanthemum, as Sanyu’s main subject matter. Vase of Chrysanthemums with Red Ground, sold in Ravenel Spring 2017 Auction, featured white chrysanthemums on red background. Through the depiction of chrysanthemums, Sanyu suggested the melancholy of his lonely life away from home. Regardless of the Eastern and Western style of depiction by Zhang Daqian and Sanyu, both artists used the same subject matter to reflect their own feelings and beliefs, forming an interesting phenomenon in the representation of virual art.