Artwork
清 佚名 舊傳蘇軾 墨竹圖 扇|Bamboo
清 佚名 舊傳蘇軾 墨竹圖 扇|Bamboo is an ink painting by the Song dynasty landscape artist Su Shi. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This artwork, titled Bamboo, is an ink painting on silk from the Qing dynasty.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a solitary stalk of bamboo rendered in ink on silk, a motif drawn from the Bambusoideae subfamily.
The work portrays a solitary stalk of bamboo rendered in ink on silk, a motif drawn from the Bambusoideae subfamily. In Chinese visual culture bamboo symbolizes resilience, moral integrity, and the scholar‑gentleman’s steadfast character, reflecting the Confucian ideal of upright conduct amid adversity. The fan format, traditionally associated with literati leisure, reinforces the painting’s connection to scholarly contemplation and the transmission of classical virtues.
Executed in 1639 by an anonymous follower of the Song‑dynasty poet Su Shi, the piece merges poetic reverence for nature with a visual allegory of personal virtue, making the bamboo both a botanical subject and a moral emblem.
Technique & Style
Created in 1639, this artwork is executed in ink on silk, a traditional medium for Chinese painting. The support consists of a fan that has been remounted as an album leaf, a common preservation method for portable formats. Stylistically, the piece falls within the landscape genre, though it specifically depicts bamboo (Bambusoideae) rather than a broad scenic vista.
The work is attributed to an unidentified artist, despite historical associations with the Song dynasty figure Su Shi. Physically, the mounted leaf measures approximately 20.3 cm in height and 21.3 cm in width. The composition relies on monochromatic ink application to render the bamboo forms, adhering to established conventions of the medium while presenting the subject matter on a small, intimate scale suitable for an album.
History & Provenance
The work titled 清 佚名 舊傳蘇軾 墨竹圖 扇 was produced in 1639 in China by an unidentified artist. Executed in ink on silk, it was originally a fan and later mounted as an album leaf. The subject depicts bamboo (Bambusoideae) and is classified as a landscape painting.
The piece bears the accession number MET 13.100.100 and has been part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection since its acquisition, currently displayed in New York. Its creation history reflects typical Qing‑era brush techniques, and the work’s attribution to an anonymous hand is recorded in both scholarly catalogues and the museum’s catalogue entry.
Context
The work titled 清 佚名 舊傳蘇軾 墨竹圖 扇|Bamboo, dated 1639, is recorded as a fan‑mounted album leaf in ink on silk and classified within the landscape genre of Chinese painting. Its subject matter depicts Bambusoideae, a plant family traditionally significant in the visual arts. The piece is attributed to an anonymous painter linked to Su Shi’s literary legacy and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reflecting scholarly attention to anonymous masters of the Qing period.
As a landscape work from 1639, it contributes to the understanding of late‑Ming to early‑Qing artistic exchange and the continued use of bamboo imagery to convey cultural ideals.
Overview
This artwork, titled Bamboo, is an ink painting on silk from the Qing dynasty. Originally functioning as a fan, it has since been remounted as an album leaf. The composition features a solitary bamboo stalk rendered in black ink.
While the artist remains anonymous, the piece has historically been associated with the renowned Song dynasty scholar-artist Su Shi, reflecting a long-standing tradition of bamboo painting.
Artist & collection
