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Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus): 4171.10

An image of Drawing
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An image of Drawing
An image of Drawing
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

Maker(s)

Youqua

Entities

Categories

Description

A watercolour drawing from the album 4171. This image depicts a pair of golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) in a landscape setting. The male bird has a brilliant golden-yellow head and crest, vibrant orange-red neck and breast with distinctive scaled patterning, and iridescent blue-black wing patches contrasting with warm chestnut and brown body feathers. His long barred tail shows detailed striped patterns. The female, positioned to the right, has the more subdued but elegant brown and buff coloration typical of her sex, with delicate barred patterning throughout her plumage that provides natural camouflage. The setting features weathered grey rocks covered with patches of green moss. There are blue flowering plants on the rocks.The painting demonstrates the fine brushwork characteristic of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combining ornithological documentation and traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style.

Measurements and weight

Height: 250 mm
Width: 337 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1909) by Bothamley, Rev. H.

Note

Export album made for the Western market

School or Style

Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour

Materials used in production

Watercolour
Bodycolour
White highlights
Ink

Components of the work

Support composed of pith paper

Techniques used in production

Drawing : Watercolour, bodycolour and ink with heightening in white on pith paper, laid down with with strips of blue silk-covered paper

Identification numbers

Accession number: 4171.10
Primary reference Number: 185672

Audit data

Created: Tuesday 11 October 2011 Updated: Thursday 28 August 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185672 Accessed: 2025-12-05 19:59:04

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185672 |title=Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 19:59:04|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)</figcaption>
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