The magnificent floral image represents the spring. The peonies represent this season.
The image of peonies and bald bulbuls is a popular play on words: Peonies (fugui) is the Chinese word for 'wealth and honour' (fugui), while the bald bulbul (baitou) means 'white head' and is a symbol of old age and long life.

Not much is known about Shen Shijie. According to one of his seals, he probably worked as a court painter in Peking during the last years of the Qing dynasty. This flower painting shows the typical courtly style of the time.