清 Qing dynasty
軸 紙本設色 Hanging scroll, ink and colors on paper
217.6cm (H) x 191.8cm (W)
青羊又稱「岩羊」，是中國東北、華北和西藏的珍稀動物，擅長在峻峭的岩壁間跳躍移動，為當時貢物。青羊光亮堅硬的短角、明亮清透的棕色瞳孔、青灰色的鬈曲鬃毛等質感，以及青羊的動態，郎世寧(1688-1766年)以高超畫技描繪。畫中方稜狀山石，則另由他人添繪，為乾隆朝中西院畫家合作之一例。畫作遵循皇家記錄珍禽異獸的傳統，然其縱橫均約兩米，反映乾隆朝以大尺幅繪製貢物的新好尚。
The blue sheep, also known as bharal, is a rare animal found in the northwest and northeast parts of China and Tibet. They can leap along high and steep rocky cliffs and their rarity made them prized tributes to the imperial court. The Italian missionary-artist Giuseppe Castiglione (Chinese name Lang Shining) has here not only successfully expressed the hardness and luminosity of their short horns, pure and bright brown eyes and curly fringe hairs, he has also vividly captured their movements, revealing his great skill in painting. The angular rock forms in the painting were added by other court artists, making this a fine collaboration between Chinese and western artists at the Painting Academy in the Qianlong reign. About two meters in height and width, it represents a tendency toward painting tribute subjects on a relatively large scale during the Qianlong dynasty.
