PROVENANCE:
Acquired directly from the artist's daughter

PUBLISHED:
Elegance and Grace: A Commemorat ive Collection ofof Flower and Bird Paintings by Yu Chung-Lin , National Museum of History, Taipei, 2012, pp. 24-25

Yu Zhonglin was known for his skills in Song’s Gongbi style, depicting objects in minute detail while showing the objects’ liveliness. The inscription of this painting describes Yu’s dedication to his painting by raising chickens and observing them as if conversing with the chickens. With the combination of perspectives and excellent control over the brushwork, the chickens spring to life in the painting.