A Bird Watcher’s Delight

I’d heard of Bird Rugs ….usually associated with Afshar group of South Persia.

Something like this:

Asset 409 – Afshar Bird Rug

Antique Persian Afshar Bird rug

But now I’m seeing a Bird Shawl!

This Cantonese work of art has other main motifs but it has so many birds and such a variety of them that it is impossible to overlook their presence.

Here are some:

Interesting right?

Now it is for the bird watchers to name the birds that we are seeing!

The themes in one group of Cantonese shawls are usually very very specific and flowers and butterflies and birds are just fillers used to create the picture.

But in this case, birds are clearly close to the heart of the artist and much time has been spent on finding them all some space in the heirloom!

If only we could ask the artist directly … what were you thinking?

***

jm

July 2019

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