Measurements: Height:120 cm, Width: 46 cm
Period: Tongzhi period of Qing dynasty(1856--1874CE)

Zhao Zhiqian, a famed seal carver, painter, calligrapher in the reigns of Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu emperors. The current painting, ink on paper, features natural and free style, painted by Zhao at age 41 when his painting skill was nearly matured. Being not confined to the conventional subjects as the four seasons, prune blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, which were the primary subjects for other literati painters, instead, Zhao, in many cases, was distinctive in taking the vegetables and fruits as his subjects which were mostly ignored by them. Additionally, in terms of the color, he didn’t follow the convention, yet matched the color with the denser brushstrokes appropriately. The subtle combination of innovation and tradition filled his painting with everlasting vigor.