Artwork
Bamboo Shoot
Bamboo Shoot is a paint painting by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) created this ink painting of a solitary bamboo shoot, which forms part of a seven‑panel album of his later works. The composition presents a single, robust white stalk emerging from dark earth, topped by delicate green leaves rendered with swift, expressive brushwork.
Subject & Meaning
The image focuses on the natural vitality of a bamboo shoot, a motif often associated with resilience and rapid growth in East Asian symbolism. By isolating the plant against a muted background, Hokusai emphasizes its emergence and the quiet dynamism of life.
Technique & Style
Executed with rapid, fluid strokes, the painting balances stark contrasts between the dark soil and the luminous stalk. Hokusai’s handling of the brush captures both the solidity of the bamboo’s core and the translucence of its foliage, conveying movement without overt detail.
History & Provenance
Created during the final phase of Hokusai’s career, when he turned increasingly toward painting rather than woodblock prints, the work was mounted in a small album alongside six other paintings. The album format reflects a private, collectible context typical of late Edo‑period artists.
Context
Although Hokusa i is best remembered for his prolific print series, his later paintings reveal a shift toward more intimate, monochrome subjects. This bamboo shoot exemplifies that transition, aligning with contemporary interests in natural studies and the artist’s personal exploration of brush mastery.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
