Four Seasons of Flowers Album (四景花卉图册 / Sì Jǐng Huā Huì Tú Cè)
—A Qing Dynasty Masterpiece by Qian Weicheng (钱维城, 1720–1772) and Dong Gao (董诰, 1740–1818)

Overview

These two silk-scroll albums, housed in Taipei’s National Palace Museum, exemplify Qing Dynasty court artistry through the boneless-and-branch technique (没骨折枝法), a method of painting flowers without ink outlines. Commissioned during the Qianlong (1735–1796) to Jiaqing (1796–1820) reigns, they blend botanical precision with poetic symbolism:

• Qian Weicheng’s version (40 panels): Each season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) features eight panels with imperial poems by Emperor Qianlong, celebrating agrarian prosperity and cosmic harmony.
• Dong Gao’s version (40 panels): Each season includes ten panels pairing two flowers per scene, emphasizing seasonal transitions and scholarly aesthetics.

Translation & Cultural Context

Artistic Techniques

1. Boneless-and-Branch Method (没骨折枝法):
   • Definition: A gongbi (工笔, fine-line) technique using mineral pigments directly on silk, avoiding ink outlines to create lifelike textures.
   • Symbolism: “Branch” (折枝) refers to depicting only flower segments, symbolizing nature’s ephemeral beauty and the artist’s selective focus on harmony.

Album Structures

Dong Gao’s Album (董诰绘本):

Qian Weicheng’s Album (钱维城绘本):

Artists’ Backgrounds

Dong Gao (董诰)

• Role: Minister of Works, co-editor of the Siku Quanshu (China’s largest literary encyclopedia).
• Style: Merged Southern Song lyricism with meticulous detail; collaborated with his father, Dong Bangda (董邦达), known as the “Big and Little Dong” (大、小董) in art circles.

Qian Weicheng (钱维城)

• Role: Qianlong’s favorite court painter, awarded the title Zhuangyuan (状元, Imperial Examination top scorer).
• Style: Blended Yuan Dynasty landscapes with Qing realism; his works were stamped with eight imperial seals by Qianlong.

Philosophical & Imperial Themes

1. Confucian Governance:
   • Qian Weicheng’s poems reflect Qianlong’s vision of “benevolent rule”, linking flower cycles to agricultural prosperity.
2. Daoist Harmony:
   • Dong Gao’s pairings (e.g., plum and orchid) embody yin-yang balance, echoing Daoist ideals of cosmic unity.
3. Seasonal Calendar:
   • Both albums align with the 24 Solar Terms, a traditional agricultural calendar. For example, “Spring Rain Over Bamboo” corresponds to Lichun (立春, Start of Spring).

Global Parallels

• Comparative Art:
  • Similar to Japanese kachō-ga (花鳥画) but emphasizes imperial collaboration over solitary contemplation.
  • Contrasts with Dutch Golden Age still lifes (e.g., Rachel Ruysch) by prioritizing symbolic harmony over material opulence.

Legacy & Accessibility

• Digitization: High-resolution scans available via the National Palace Museum.
• Exhibitions: Featured in Rhythm of the Cosmos: Qing Dynasty Nature Paintings (Shanghai, 2024), highlighting their ecological aesthetics.

References
: National Palace Museum archives on Dong Gao and Qian Weicheng.
: Academic studies on Qing Dynasty imperial art patronage.

Note: For virtual viewing, visit the National Palace Museum’s digital platform: https://theme.npm.edu.tw.

Full Translation of Key Terms

• 没骨折枝法: Boneless-and-Branch Technique – A method of painting flowers without ink outlines, using layered mineral pigments.
• 工笔: Gongbi – “Fine-line” realism, emphasizing detail and color precision.
• 節節雙喜: Double Joy with Each Segment – A pun on bamboo joints (節) and festive joy (喜), symbolizing continuous blessings.