Bamboo grove
Created at the time of political and social turmoil that accompanied the disintegration of the Mongol Yuan and the establishment of the native Ming dynasty, this painting reflects a common theme found in scholar paintings of the day: the yearning for a safe haven.
Bamboo Grove portrays "this gentleman"—bamboo—as the reclusive companion of rocks and water. While earlier painters depicted bamboo as a tactile object and a moral symbol, Shen's portrayal suggests bamboo's ability to create a mood of tranquility through its delicate shadows and gentle movement and the soft rustling sounds of its leaves. Growing wild or in a garden, it evokes thoughts of purity and freedom.
Bamboo Grove portrays "this gentleman"—bamboo—as the reclusive companion of rocks and water. While earlier painters depicted bamboo as a tactile object and a moral symbol, Shen's portrayal suggests bamboo's ability to create a mood of tranquility through its delicate shadows and gentle movement and the soft rustling sounds of its leaves. Growing wild or in a garden, it evokes thoughts of purity and freedom.
Artwork Details
- 元/明 趙原 倣燕文貴范寬山水圖 元/明 沈巽竹石 合卷
- Title: Bamboo grove
- Artist: Shen Xun (active ca. 1370–1400)
- Period: Yuan (1271–1368) or Ming (1368–1644) dynasty
- Date: late 14th century
- Culture: China
- Medium: Handscroll; ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 9 13/16 x 25 in. (24.9 x 63.5 cm)
Overall with mounting: 10 1/8 x 347 5/16 in. (25.7 x 882.2 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Edward Elliott Family Collection, Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1981
- Object Number: 1981.285.16
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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