Artist:Yu Zhiding (1647-1716)

Dimensions: height: 30.4cm, width: 128.7cm

Painting of Plowing in Spring presents a scene of red peach flowers, green willows and a ripply spring river. The protagonist in the picture is a royal official at the age of near seventy. He is standing on the river bank looking straightly ahead, with a straw hat on head, right hand holding his beard and left hand behind his back. The painting of the figure is lifelike and vivid. Two children are standing by, one holding a stick, the other with books on his back. On the left side of the picture is the suburb with faint outlines of thatched cottages and flourishing trees and flowers. There is a peach flower grove in the distance and a farmer driving cattle to plow in the field. The background in the picture is the vigorous spring scenery in farming time, expressing the beautiful spring in its full play. The painter has exhibited his high accomplishments in picture composition, ink painting skill and coloring.

Yu Zhiding (1647-1716), courtesy name Shangjí or Shangji, studio name Shenzhai, was born in Jiangdu (now Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province). He was titled Assistant in Honglu Temple and was good at painting, especially portrait.