Kittens Playing Beneath Flowers. Emperor Hsüan-tung, Ming dynasty, Hanging scroll. The National Palace Museum, Taiwan.

Chu Chan-chi (1399-1435), the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty known as Hsüan-tsung, was also very gifted at painting and calligraphy. This work depicts two cats cleaning themselves among a garden rock and wild chrysanthemums. The artist first filled in the base color with washes and then outlined and washed the spots and painted in the cats' fur.