Summer Purity Picture - Birds and Luffa Painting

Xià Qīng Tú

This painting features two birds landing on a luffa plant. This plant is known as 絲瓜 or "sī guā" in Chinese. Once dried, the skeleton of these melons becomes the familiar luffa sponges that are popular to exfoliate when bathing. The title of this painting, 夏清圖 or "Xià Qīng Tú", can be translated as "Summer Purity Picture".

The artist's name is 宋柯 or "Sòng Kē" from near Guilin, China.