Very Long 20th Century Chinese Scroll With Signature. Depicts a flock of birds resting in the branches and leaves of a tree. Artist's chop bottom left. 

Size: 75 x 23 1/4 in. 

#6238 . 

Chinese silk banners and hanging scroll paintings have been discovered dating back to the Han Dynasty (260 BC-220 AD). By the time of the Tang Dynasty in the 7th Century there was a standardized style and format to them, ranging from panoramic landscapes spanning multiple pieces side-by-side to single scrolls crammed with calligraphy. With the ascent of Emperor Taizu of Song in 960 cultural and artistic changes flourished, leading to innovations that were expanded upon greatly in the following Yuan Dynasty. One of the most important shifts was in the regular depiction of humans as opposed to animalistic and natural scenes, and often images were captured in a whimsically realistic style to portray both Empire-changing events as well as average day-to-day activities. Great artists such as Liu Rushi (1618-1664), Da Zhu (1626-1705), and Okada Gyokuzan (1737-1812) were famous for their depictions of cranes and other graceful birds in flight. Today the tradition continues in a myriad of forms, with some painters adhering to ancient protocol and others incorporating Western influences fluidly into their work. Hanging scrolls, as originally intended for religious purposes, are generally intended to be displayed for short periods of time, after which they are rolled up and tied for storage. They are traditionally rotated according to season or occasion, rather than on permanent display. Their artwork could be mounted with decorative brocade silk borders. The craft of creating a hanging scroll is considered an art in itself.