Bidspirit auction | Flower and Bird,by Jiao Bingzhen,Kangxi

Flower and Bird,by Jiao Bingzhen,Kangxi Period,Qing Dynasty - Jiao Bingzhen (active late 17th to early 18th century) was a renowned court painter during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, born in Jining, Shandong Province. Specializing in figure painting, architectural painting, and landscapes, he mastered Western perspective techniques, blending Chinese and European artistic styles to become a key representative of early Western-influenced art in China. Employed at the Imperial Painting Academy (Ruyiguan), he enjoyed the patronage of Emperor Kangxi. Jiao's work maintained the precision of traditional Chinese gongbi (meticulous brushwork) while innovatively incorporating Western chiaroscuro and perspective methods, creating a distinctive East-West fusion. His masterpieces include Pictures of Tilling and Weaving and Beauties, with the former series featuring poems by Emperor Kangxi himself, serving as valuable visual records of Qing agricultural society. These works were widely circulated domestically and influenced other East Asian arts such as Japanese ukiyo-e. Jiao's artistic practice revitalized Qing court painting and established him as a pivotal figure in early Sino-Western artistic exchange.