南宋马麟花卉画《兰花图》页

这幅由马远之子马麟所绘的兰花小品，尽显南宋宫廷推崇的写实画风。画家以淡紫、月白与石青层层敷染，将兰叶与花穗的错落姿态勾勒得纤毫毕现，透露出刻意经营的审美意趣。此类花卉作品，总令人想起南宋晚期咏物词中的清雅意境。

This exquisite representation of an orchid, signed by Ma Lin, son of Ma Yuan (act. ca. 1190-1225), exemplifies the style of formal realism favored by the aristocratic Southern Song court. The simple asymmetrical balance of flowers and leaves, meticulously rendered in subtle shades of lavender, white, and malachite green, bespeaks a consciously aestheticizing sensibility. Such flower paintings recall late Southern Song lyric poems about flowers.