White Gyrfalcon

The branch of an old pine tree extends across the composition with a white bird of prey (falcon) perched on it, a cascade descending into the valley behind. The falcon with its short flat head peers out, its eyes sparkling black. It also has a pointed beak and muscular legs with sharp talons. The ruling Manchu at the Qing court often received birds of prey as tribute, reflecting the common interests and heritage they shared with northern nomadic peoples. In the sixteenth year of the Qianlong emperor’s reign (1751), the high court official Fuheng (1720-1770) presented this white bird of prey as tribute, and Giuseppe Castiglione was ordered to paint it from life, the pine tree and landscape with a waterfall added by another court artist. The compact size of the falcon makes it agile in flight, and known for its ferocity, it often served as a symbol of courage and victory. The Grand Academician Ji Huang (1711-1794) transcribed “Imperially Produced Song on a White Bird of Prey,” respectfully referring to the falcon as a “White General.”