《吉祥富贵花鸟图》  郎世宁绘
Fortune and Good Luck—Painting of Bird and Blossoms    by Lang  Shining

     绢本设色画，原画纵67.3厘米，横32.3厘米，北京故宫博物院藏。

     这幅由意大利宫廷画师郎世宁所画的《吉祥富贵花鸟图轴》，画面构图宁静和谐，色彩艳丽饱满，寓意吉祥富贵，国泰民安。

      画面的左下角有画家属款：“臣郎世宁恭画”六字，表明这幅作品是郎世宁在宫廷中专门为皇帝而画的。宫廷画师经常受皇帝之意，画一些命题画，多是表现富贵吉祥、喜庆内容的山水、花鸟走兽，用于在宫廷中张挂，装饰宫殿和供皇帝玩赏，一些艺术性高、或受皇帝特别喜爱的画也被作为宫中收藏。此画出自郎世宁独自之笔，画面虽然还保持着传统中国绘画的基本格局，但是在画法上依然处处可见欧洲绘画的特点，如：两只雀鸟注重于羽毛质感的表达；眼睛中用白粉点出“高光”（即反光）；树木的树干斑驳，表现出明暗的区别；画幅上部的花朵，花瓣具有一定的厚度，质感也很强。此画无论从寓意上，还是艺术欣赏上都深受多位皇帝喜爱，上面钤有乾隆、嘉庆两位皇帝的御览之宝，还有三希堂、石渠宝笈等的收藏印章，足见其在宫廷绘画中的地位。目前此画珍藏于北京故宫博物院。经仿真复制，限量发行1000幅。

Fortune and Good Luck -- Painting of Bird and Blossoms
This Painting of Bird and Blossoms was painted by Lang Shining(Giuseppe Castiglione), a painter serving in the royal court in ancient Italy. The bright colors of the picture makes a peaceful and harmonious impression, implying fortune and good luck for the people. In the left corner of the painting, it writes “In honor of your majesty, drawn by Lang Shining” which indicates that the painting was drawn specially for the emperor by the court painterLang Shining. In the ancient times, the court painters were always instructed by the emperor to draw paintings of certain themes. Take for instance, the most often painted are birds and flowers, or natural scenery to express fortune and good luck or hilarious festivity. They were usually hung in the court as decoration to please the emperor. Some of the paintings of high artistic value or those most favored by emperors would be specially collected by the court.
From this painting byLang Shining , one can easily trace the characteristics of European style of painting, while it remains the traditional format of Chinese painting. The two birds was so vivid in the picture, with the fullness of their feather, and the seemingly “twinkles” in their eyes, expressed with white powder; the shades of the branches reflects the speckled trunk; the flowers on the top of the painting was bestowed such reality that it radiates freshness and quality. The painting is favored by many emperors for both its meaning and artistic value. One can find the seals of Qian Long and Jia Qing (two most famous emperors in Qing Dynasty) indicating they have kept it as private owning; also the seal of collection by San Xi Tang, Shi Qu Bao Ji etc. All shows the importance attached to this painting in the court.
    Presently the painting is collected and displayed in the Palace Museum in Beijing.