After the Xuande Emperor (r. 1426-1434) China, Ming dynasty, ca. 16th ct. 78,8 x 52,5 cm Ink and color on silk, pasted onto a wooden panel. At the top of the painting there is a large imperial seal, the inscription of which is almost totally faded. According to former photographs it could be read as “Xuanhe dian(?) bao”, a seal of the Huizong Emperor (r. 1101-1125), but probably not genuine. At the lower part of the painting there are three seals of the famous Ming collector Xiang Yuanbian (1525-1590): “Zuili”, “Zuili Xiang shi shijia baowan”, “Xiang Zijing jia zhencang”. From an old Rhenish private collection, assembled until ca. 2003 - The model of the painting is an original work by the Xuande Emperor (r. 1426-1434) now in the National Palace Museum. It shows exactly the same composition but lacking the herbs and flowers to the right of the cock. Such paintings of chicken were already done in the famous Painting Academy of Song Emperor Huizong and some works of this time are preserved, one also in the National Palace Museum. From the painting of the Xuande Emperor exist several copies of later time (see Christies, Hongkong, 28.11.2005, No. 1029) and this example is one of them. The silk is quite coarse but the painting is done fine and vividly depicts the behavior of the chicken Wear, partly rest.