A magpie clings to a willow branch, its black plumage stark against the pale silk. Ink bleeds softly at the edges, as if blurred by mist.

This scroll captures not just a bird, but the fleeting moment between rain and stillness. How many brushstrokes define the magpie’s gaze?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53