Who painted Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter?

Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter was painted by Unknown in 1323.

Where can I see Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter?

Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter

Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1323 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The palette is restrained, dominated by browns and grays, punctuated by thin blue strokes that trace the upper and lower margins.

Bamboo in Four Seasons: Summer and Winter is a painted work that presents a cluster of tall bamboo stalks rendered in dark, undulating lines against a light, muted background. The composition emphasizes verticality, with several stems extending near the upper edge of the picture plane. The palette is restrained, dominated by browns and grays, punctuated by thin blue strokes that trace the upper and lower margins.

Subject & Meaning

The image focuses on bamboo, a plant traditionally associated with resilience and flexibility in East Asian art. By depicting the same species in both summer and winter, the artist invites contemplation of seasonal change while underscoring the plant’s enduring strength across contrasting climates.

Technique & Style

Executed with simple, flowing lines and subtle shading, the painting balances minimalism with a sense of natural vigor. The artist employs a limited tonal range to model the bamboo’s texture, allowing the dark, wavy branches to stand out against the lighter field, while the occasional blue accents suggest atmospheric depth.

Context

This piece belongs to a series titled Bamboo in Four Seasons, in which the artist explores the same botanical subject through the lens of each season. The summer–winter pairing highlights the plant’s adaptability, contrasting the lushness of warm months with the starkness of cold, thereby creating a thematic dialogue across the series.

History & Provenance

The work is part of a collection that includes other seasonal bamboo paintings, though specific details of its acquisition are not recorded here. It is listed among the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed alongside comparable works that illustrate similar approaches to line and natural subject matter.