Is this artwork authentic?

Yes. Every artwork sold by Kiln & Ink comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Zhang Daqian. We guarantee the authenticity of every piece we sell, with a full refund if any claim is upheld within 12 months of purchase.

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Printmaking

Orchids

Name: Orchids
Brand: Zhang Daqian
SKU: zhang-daqian-orchids
Price: 1540 USD
Availability: InStock

by Zhang Daqian · panyu,guangdomg

$1,540

In stock

MaterialInk on xuan paper, mounted on silkscroll

Dimensions40 x 32 cm

Year1945

EditionUnique work

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Authenticity Guaranteed

Artist-estate Certificate of Authenticity, hand-numbered in pencil at the point of pulling.

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Free over $500. Acid-free archival tissue, rigid tube, fully insured.

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The Story

Orchids held a special place in Zhang Daqian’s heart, representing the ideal of the scholar-gentleman: quiet resilience, unyielding grace, and inner purity. This delicate ink orchid painting is a testament to his mastery of the genre, created during a period when he focused on refining his brushwork and capturing the essence of his subjects with minimal strokes. Painted on aged, speckled paper, the work features only a few elegant leaves and a single bloom, paired with Zhang’s calligraphy and seal on the right—a classic composition for literati painting. For Chinese scholars, orchids growing in quiet seclusion symbolized virtue that thrives without seeking attention, a theme Zhang deeply identified with. He often painted orchids as a way to express his own values, using varying shades of black ink to create depth and movement in the slender leaves. This piece is not just a depiction of a flower, but a meditation on simplicity and elegance. Every line is deliberate, yet appears spontaneous, showcasing Zhang’s lifelong training in calligraphy and ink painting. It is a quiet, intimate work that invites viewers to slow down and appreciate the beauty of restraint, a hallmark of traditional Chinese aesthetics.

Craft & Process

Created with freehand ink brushwork and subtle tonal variations, the work uses minimal elements to capture the orchid’s spirit, reflecting the Chinese literati ideal of simplicity, grace, and inner virtue.

About the Artist

Zhang Daqian

panyu,guangdomg

Zhang Daqian (1899–1983), born in Sichuan, was a legendary 20th-century Chinese artist. A master of traditional ink painting, calligraphy, and seal-carving, he revolutionized landscape art by pioneering the bold splashed-ink and splashed-color (pomo/pocai) technique, blending Eastern tradition with Western modernism.

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