国色天香National Beauty, Heavenly Fragrance

Yellow peonies set the tone of this scroll. Large golden blooms open near the top, at the center and along the foot of the painting, each petal washed from deep orange-yellow at the base to pale at the edge, so the flowers look full and soft. Among them are a few rouge-purple peonies, dark at the petal tips and left almost white near the heart; warm and cool play against each other and make both brighter. The leaves are brushed in ink of many shades with a hint of green, free rather than exact. On the left an old branch reaches out, and two small birds perch on it, one calling, one quiet. Red buds at the top answer the buds near the bottom.

The four characters at the upper right, written in a manner that recalls ancient seal script, read National Beauty, Heavenly Fragrance, and are signed Jumei. The phrase has long been the peony’s name of praise: first among flowers in color, its scent filling the world.

此幅以黄牡丹为主调。明黄大朵或居上部，或踞中央，或压画底，瓣自根部橙黄渐淡至缘，丰腴温润；其间杂以胭脂紫红数朵，瓣尖色重，近蕊处留白，冷暖相映，愈见明艳。叶以浓淡墨色写出，墨中略透青绿，不拘形似而气韵自足。左侧老枝横出，双雀并栖其上，一鸣一静，顾盼生姿；顶端红苞数点，与画底花蕾遥相呼应。

右上以篆意题“国色天香”四字，署“菊梅画”。国色天香，素为牡丹美称，言其色冠群芳、香溢天下，亦寄富贵繁荣之意。