Two White-headed Munia Among Chinese Flowering Apple
Draughtsman: Canton workshop
This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting two white-headed munia (Lonchura maja) perched on branches of haitang, Chinese flowering apple (Malus spectabilis). The birds have rich brown plumage, with white heads, and distinctive blue bills and claws. One bird is or perched at the top, while the second bird sits on a lower branch.The birds are surrounded by delicate pink blossoms of Chinese flowering apple. Some flowers are fully open while others remain as pink buds. The painting uses fine, detailed brushwork typical of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combining traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style and Western botanical illustration. Previously described as “study of a branch in blossom with two birds”.
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1973) by Fairhaven, Henry Rogers Broughton
19th Century
Production date:
circa
AD 1830
Support
composed of
paper
Paper
Height 246 mm
Width 341 mm
Watercolour : Bodycolour on paper
Accession number: PD.265-1973
Primary reference Number: 23107
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026) "Two White-headed Munia Among Chinese Flowering Apple" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/23107 Accessed: 2026-01-11 22:51:57
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/23107
|title=Two White-headed Munia Among Chinese Flowering Apple
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-01-11 22:51:57|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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