Bamboo in the Wind1300s · Study 1953.246

Context from the museum

Bamboo is an evergreen plant that does not break under the weight of snow or the force of the wind, and thus became a favorite motif in literati painting and Chan Buddhism as a metaphor for the virtue of not yielding to worldly temptations. Xuechuang, also known as monk Puming, was a native of Songjiang, near Shanghai, who spent his life as a monk in Suzhou. In 1338, he presided over Yunyan temple on Tiger Hill. Here, he masterfully depicts a bamboo gently bent in a subtle breeze. Puming’s paintings were revered in Japan and Korea.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Bamboo, pine, and plum, often referred to as the "three friends of winter," are popular motifs in Chinese literati art.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for Bamboo in the Wind is 45.7 cm wide and 77.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 18.0 × 30.6 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.59:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.35 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 15.2% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 127.2 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Bamboo in the Wind in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Hanging scroll; ink on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 45.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?