Souris et poires

The composition is full and lively, reflecting the artist’s mature transformation in which folk symbolism blends with literati charm. A large bamboo basket is filled with autumn pears; two mice climb along its rim to feed, one crouches on the ground to nibble, and another sits alertly on the top of the basket. Each is depicted with its own agile and mischievous character. A particularly striking touch is the mantis poised on the basket’s edge, wings slightly raised and forelegs lifted, creating a moment of poised stillness that contrasts with the activity of the mice. By placing mice together with a mantis, Qi Baishi evokes themes of autumn abundance and conveys auspicious wishes for prosperity and flourishing descendants while expressing the vivid vitality of the natural world. It is a refined artistry achieved through apparently simple means.