Artwork
Bamboo in Four Seasons: Spring and Autumn
Bamboo in Four Seasons: Spring and Autumn is an unspecified painting by the Song dynasty landscape artist Unknown. It dates from 1324 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2003.87
- Credit line
- Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
About this work
You see two tall bamboo stalks, one sprouting fresh green leaves, the other with yellowing ones, set against a plain background.
You see two tall bamboo stalks, one sprouting fresh green leaves, the other with yellowing ones, set against a plain background.
This painting was made during the Yuan dynasty, when Chinese artists often used bamboo to show moral strength. The leaves aren’t just decoration; they stand for resilience in hard times. The artist left no name, so the work speaks for itself, not for fame.
To see more works from this time, look up china, yuan dynasty (1271-1368).
Overview
Bamboo in Four Seasons: Spring and Autumn is a Yuan dynasty painting depicting two bamboo stalks against a plain background.
Subject & Meaning
The stalks, one with fresh green leaves and the other with yellowing ones, symbolize resilience during difficult times, a common theme in Yuan dynasty art where bamboo represented moral strength.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a straightforward composition, emphasizing the symbolic significance of the bamboo over elaborate decoration.
History & Provenance
Created during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), the painting is attributed to an anonymous artist, its significance lying in its representation of the era's artistic themes rather than the artist's identity.
Artist & collection
