Painting of a Knick-knack Peddler

This work depicts a knick-knack peddler holding two carriers filled with objects on a pole across his shoulder and using a hand drum to make his presence known. A mother has heard him and brings the children, one of them shy and hiding behind her. The others, however, cannot wait as they rush to get their hands on the toys. The knick-knack peddler was a popular genre theme in the Southern Song period (1127-1279). This work is traditionally attributed to Qian Xuan, but judging from the delicate rendering of the figures and the brighter coloring, it appears closer to the school related to the Southern Song artist Liu Songnian (fl. ca. 1174-1224). The straightforward application of the brush for the rocks and trees as well as the signature also differ from those of Qian Xuan, suggesting instead a Ming dynasty (1368-1644) artist working in an old style.