Rock with an Orchid and Bamboo

A motif of rock with bamboo, pine or orchid is one of the central themes of the literati painting’s „flowers and birds“ genre. Its popularity can be traced back to Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322), a well-known artist of the Yuan dynasty. Monochrome literati painting, of which he was the founder, is typical of the use of calligraphic lines modeling plant leaves, stone surfaces etc. In his own words, He Ruixiong painted this picture „one agreeable evening of the year wuyin of the Jiaqing era“, i.e. in the year 1818. He came from Guangdong Province and made a name for himself as a painter of flora.