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(Chinese Gongbi Narrative Painting — Dream of the Red Chamber) A mixed inner-chamber literary gathering from Dream of the Red Chamber, with Jia Baoyu, the novel’s male protagonist, dressed in pink and standing among the seated noblewomen of the Jia household, embodying the novel’s gender inversion and poetic ethos. Thirteen young noblewomen are gathered inside an elegant inner chamber of the Grand View Garden. Near to the center, one woman sits at a lacquered desk, reading or composing poetry, surrounded by brushes, inkstone, and scrolls. Three women stand nearby holding a long unrolled scroll, reading and discussing the text together. Around them, several companions observe quietly, some seated on ornate chairs, others standing with hands folded in their sleeves. Two younger attendants kneel or sit lower, holding papers and awaiting instruction. The setting features red silk lanterns with tassels, carved wooden furniture, floral arrangements, and a decorative wall panel depicting birds on blossoming branches. The atmosphere is refined, intimate, and scholarly. All figures wear late-Qing aristocratic hanfu in layered blues, greens, whites, and soft pastels, with floral hair ornaments and restrained gestures. The colour palette is harmonious and elegant: powder blue, jade green, soft white, pale lavender, with accents of crimson, rose pink, and gold. Rendered in precise gongbi linework with mineral pigments, flat colour planes, and layered detailing. No Western realism, no fantasy elements, no dramatic lighting. The image must read as a literary narrative painting from Dream of the Red Chamber, emphasizing feminine intellect, refinement, and poetic culture.
A traditional Chinese painting depicts twelve women in an interior setting, gathered around a large brown wooden table and kneeling on the floor.
The central woman at the table wears a beige inner garment, a light green outer robe, and a white skirt. She sits in a high-backed wooden chair with a floral patterned cushion and is actively writing on a piece of white paper. To her right, a woman in a peach-colored robe and white skirt watches, holding what appears to be a brush. To her left, two women in blue and green robes respectively, stand by the table, observing the writing process. In front of them are rolled scrolls of paper, an inkpot, and a brush rest.
Further to the right of the central woman, five additional women are gathered. One in a light blue robe and white skirt holds and reads a scroll. Another in a lavender robe and white skirt also holds a scroll. Two women in the background, one in peach and one in light blue, look on. Another woman in a light blue robe and white skirt stands by the table, leaning forward.
On the floor in the foreground, two women kneel facing away from the viewer. The left woman wears a light pink robe and a white skirt
