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Elephant, Horse, and Hare, Min Zhen
Elephant, Horse, and Hare, 1788

Min Zhen

1730–after 1788 · Chinese painting: Qing · 5 works

Min Zhen’s small album paintings bring animals and plants into unexpected arrangements. A cat looks toward a butterfly, an elephant shares space with much smaller creatures, and peaches hang close to the surface of the page. The subjects could also convey wishes or beliefs: Cleveland explains the cat and butterfly as a visual wish for long life. Notice how washes and outlines work together.

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Walk all 5 worksView in the Atlas

5 works · 1788

Compare the broad ink washes of the peaches with the finer marks describing the cat’s fur.

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Shared styles, periods, or traditions in the collection.

Original museum reproductions, with source records on every artwork page.

Artist information: Cleveland Museum of Art (Elephant, Horse, and Hare (1985.71.1), Cat and Butterfly (1985.71.5), Peaches (1985.71.9)).

Public-domain art. An imagined museum; no museum affiliation.