Peacocks in Peach Tree under Moonlight

Home Resource Peacocks in Peach Tree under Moonlight

by Stephanie Lee | 23 Jul, 2021 | 0 Comments

#	Contents
Title	Peacocks in Peach Tree under Moonlight
Date	19th century
Artist	Artist/maker unknown, Korean
Description	This bird-and-flower painting, one of a pair, exemplifies the superb artistic achievements of nineteenth-century Joseon dynasty court painters. This panel shows a peacock couple and six young, with a peach tree, peonies, and the moon. Extensive research conducted during a recent conservation project revealed that this painting, and its pair, were most likely attached to the wall of a Joseon palace, serving both as wall adornment and as symbols of good fortune. It is extremely rare to see birds portrayed with their young, which is believed to convey the wish for many offspring. Such symbolism is further supported by the inclusion of the moon and sun, a pairing that represents the harmony of Asian cosmic energy, yin and yang, dark and light, female and male.
Format	Framed
Medium	Ink and color on paper
Dimensions	68 3/4 × 28 1/4 inches (174.6 × 71.8 cm) Image: 61 3/4 × 21 3/4 inches (156.8 × 55.2 cm)
Classification	Paintings
Credit Line	Gift of Mrs. W. James Anderson, Mrs. Samuel Bell, Jr., Mrs. Richard Drayton, and Charles T. Ludington, Jr., in memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Townsend Ludington, 1970
Source	Philadelphia Museum of Art
Accession Number	1970-259-1b
Geography	Made in Korea, Asia
Context	Dynasty: Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)
URL	Click here