Peonies Yün Shou-p'ing (1633-1690) Ch'ing Dynasty From Wu-chin in Kiangsu, Yün was the leading essayist and poet of the “Six Gentlemen of P'i-ling.” Considered the equal of the “Four Wangs,” he is one of the “Ssu Wang Wu Yün: the Four Messrs. Wang, the Master Wu, and the Master Yün.” Originally a master of landscapes, Yün came to feel he could not equal Wang Hui in this genre and consequently specialized in paintings of flowers and plants. He incorporated the “boneless” wash method of the Northern Sung painter Hsü Ch'ung-ssu into his own repertoire and thus created a new style, of which he became known as a master of flower painting. Yün Shou-p'ing has here depicted two peonies, one not quite opened and the other in full bloom. Washes of color have been directly applied in the “boneless” method and the leaf veins are outlined. The results are radiantly lifelike.