Peacock with Flowers and Fantastic Rocks

Made in China during the 17th century, this hanging scroll belongs to the early Qing dynasty, which followed the Manchu conquest of 1644. Mia's record does not name the painter, so the artist's identity remains unknown. The unnamed painter worked in ink, color, and gold on silk, continuing established Chinese painting practices during a period of political change. Mia explains that flowers were long-used signs of good fortune, while pierced garden rocks known as taihu rocks were admired by artist-scholars. After 1644, the peacock also gained political meaning because the Manchu rulers adopted Mahamayuri, the Peacock Mother of the Buddha and a protector of the north, as an emblem. A scroll like this could therefore serve as a gift for a high-ranking Manchu official and be displayed in a formal part of his home. The work links older traditions with the new dynasty's effort to present itself as a guardian of Chinese culture.