Anonymous: Mother Hen and Chicks

Sung Dynasty

Hanging scroll / ink and color on paper

Artwork : 60.8 x 32.8cm

Hanging scroll : 132.9 x 44.0cm

This work is a detailed depiction of the mother hen and her chicks rendered in the unconventional treatment of filling the background with dark ink which makes the subject matter stand out. It is a remarkable piece among paintings of animals and birds produced in the Sung dynasty. The eulogy on top is by the Ming Emperor Hsien-tsung, in which he describes his fondness for the work.