Narcissus (One of Twelve Album Leaves) 1859

Editor: Here we have Zhang Xiong's *Narcissus*, one of twelve album leaves. It’s executed in ink on paper, and I’m struck by the artist's delicate control of the brush. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, considering Zhang Xiong’s position in the Shanghai School, it’s important to consider the commercial demands on literati painters at the time. How might the materials, their accessibility, and the market for paintings like this have impacted his process? Editor: That's a side I hadn't considered, thinking about the economic factors. I was so focused on the image itself. Curator: Exactly! Thinking about the production helps us understand the art itself.