Who painted Sparrows and Bamboo?

Sparrows and Bamboo was painted by Ekkei Reikaku in 1562-01-01.

Where can I see Sparrows and Bamboo?

Sparrows and Bamboo is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Sparrows and Bamboo?

Sparrows and Bamboo is associated with Joseon dynasty painting.

Can I buy a print of Sparrows and Bamboo?

Museum-quality prints of Sparrows and Bamboo are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Sparrows and Bamboo

Ekkei Reikaku , 1562

Sparrows and Bamboo is an unspecified painting by the Joseon dynasty painting artist Ekkei Reikaku. It dates from 1562 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Ekkei Reikaku’s 1562 painting titled Sparrows and Bamboo presents a minimalist composition of two small birds perched upon slender bamboo shoots. Executed in monochrome ink on paper, the work balances sparse brushwork with a largely empty background, emphasizing the quiet presence of the sparrows against the verticality of the bamboo.

Subject & Meaning

The scene captures a moment of stillness, with the sparrows appearing to rest on the delicate stems. The inclusion of a column of handwritten text on the right suggests a poetic or scholarly annotation, a common practice in Japanese ink paintings that links visual observation with literary reflection.

Technique & Style

Reikaku employs a restrained ink palette, using fine, controlled strokes to delineate the bamboo’s thin stalks and the birds’ forms. The contrast between the dark outlines of the sparrows and the faint, gestural marks of the bamboo exemplifies the suiboku-ga tradition, where suggestion and negative space convey atmosphere.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑sixteenth century, Sparrows and Bamboo is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work has remained attributed to Ekkei Reikaku, a noted painter of the Muromachi period, and reflects the period’s interest in integrating poetry and painting.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Ekkei Reikaku

Ekkei Reikaku was a Japanese monk and calligrapher who died in 1609, active in the tradition of Zen Buddhist literary culture that flourished in the monasteries of Kyoto.