Artwork

明十竹齋書畫譜四開|Leaf from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy

明十竹齋書畫譜四開|Leaf from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy is an ink print by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1633 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

A red seal in the corner identifies the piece as part of a printed volume.

This leaf, taken from the historic Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy, presents a pair of slender bamboo stalks rendered in ink and subtle colour on paper. The composition is minimal, with the bamboo occupying the central space, a few green specks suggesting distant foliage, and a modest tuft of grass at the lower edge. A red seal in the corner identifies the piece as part of a printed volume.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts bamboo, a recurring motif in Chinese art symbolising resilience and moral uprightness. The two upright shoots, rendered with delicate vertical lines, convey a sense of growth and flexibility, while the light‑green and yellow foliage adds a fleeting, natural quality that underscores the transient beauty of the natural world.

Technique & Style

The artist employs swift, loose brushwork, allowing the ink to flow freely and create a sense of vitality. Thin, vertical strokes define the stalks, while the foliage is suggested through light washes of green and yellow. The occasional cross‑hatching adds texture to the leaves, and the overall approach reflects the spontaneous, expressive style favored by literati painters of the period.

History & Provenance

Printed as an individual leaf within the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual, the piece originates from a series of instructional prints circulated among scholars and artists. The red seal, typical of publishing marks, confirms its inclusion in the original book, which served as a reference for brush techniques and compositional principles in traditional Chinese painting.