IDENTIFIERS
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id:	23117
accession number:	PD.275-1973

DATE AUDIT
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created:	Saturday 6 August 2011
updated:	Thursday 28 August 2025

DESCRIPTIVE DATA
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object type: This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting peach blossom with two butterflies. The illustration features several branches with delicate pink five-petaled flowers in various stages of bloom - from tight buds to fully opened blossoms. The flowers display visible yellow stamens and pistils at their centers. The green leaves on the branches are arranged in serrated, compound patterns, with some smaller leaves showing hints of purple or red coloration. A bilingual inscription at the lower right corner reads “tao hua 桃花 peach”, a common name for Prunus persica. On the left is a small grass yellow butterfly (Eurema); it has yellow wings with black borders. On the right is a peacock swallowtail; it has iridescent green wing patches. Both insects show delicate antennae and detailed wing patterns. The painting demonstrates the fine brushwork characteristic of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combing traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style and Western botanical illustration. Previously described as “A branch with flowers surrounded by butterflies”.
title:	drawing

LICENSING
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text license status:	CC0
image license status:	CC-BY-NC-SA

OWNERSHIP
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instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum
department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints
collection:	Broughton Collection

STABLE URL
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url:	https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/23117


SUBJECTS
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plant
plant



TECHNIQUES
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bodycolour on paper
watercolour

CATEGORIES
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category: drawing

DATING
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culture:	19th Century

CREATORS
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maker: Canton workshop

DIMENSIONS
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dimension: Height
units: mm
value: 444

dimension: Width
units: mm
value: 368