Bamboo 1629

ink-on-paper, hanging-scroll

pencil drawn

amateur sketch

light pencil work

ink drawing

pencil sketch

incomplete sketchy

ink-on-paper

hanging-scroll

pencil drawing

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

china

sketchbook art

Shao Mi's "Bamboo" (1629) is a striking example of Chinese ink painting, a style known for its minimalist approach and emphasis on capturing the essence of the subject. This work depicts a single stalk of bamboo, rendered with masterful brushstrokes that convey its delicate form and resilience. The artist's use of negative space creates a sense of tranquility and allows the viewer to fully appreciate the beauty of this simple yet powerful plant.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Shao Mi was born and worked in the Suzhou area, the region of learning and refinement that became the center of Ming and early Qing painting during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Literati artists held a special fondness for bamboo; its energetic growth, ability to remain green through the cold season and ability to bend without breaking were qualities associated with the character of the gentleman scholar. We know from Shao's freely executed inscription that the artist's chief motive was expressionistic rather than representational. The brush must be free and unhinderedIn order to achieve its greatest potentialThat accomplishment can only be attainedOutside of the inkwell (in the mind of the artist). Your friend Mi, recorded in the sixth month of the Chih-shih cycle (1629)