元/明 趙原 倣燕文貴范寬山水圖 元/明 沈巽竹石 合卷|Bamboo grove

Shen Xun

late 14th century · Handscroll; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

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.

Artist

Shen Xun

Date

late 14th century

Medium

Handscroll; ink and color on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Edward Elliott Family Collection, Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1981