Golden Pheasant Panel

Its orange border still impressively vibrant, this 19th-century painted wood panel from northern China depicts a scene full of traditional Chinese symbolism. Auspicious bats mark each corner, bearers of happiness and longevity, and a pheasant stands perched upon a scholars' rock, an emblem of beauty and good fortune. In a scene that was once embroidered on the robes of civil officers, the pheasant is depicted on a cliff side with its face upwards towards the sun, the Imperial symbol of authority. Possibly bestowed as a gift to a ranking officer, this delicately painted panel is a beautiful example of Qing-dynasty art.