Bamboo

Wen T'ung (ft. late 1 lth century), Sung dynasty {A.D. 960 1279)
Ink on silk. Hanging scroll. 131.6 x 105.4 cm.

Wen T'ung, a native of Szechwan province, is famous for his paintings of bamboo. Later people referred to his works as the Hu-chou school.
This painting depicts a branch of bamboo curving downward like a tautly-arched bow. The joints of bamboo dovetail neatly into one another with no additional outlines. The leaves are like angry swordblades, thrusting backward and forward. The brushstrokes are pure and thick, with a spirit that is surprising. Tung Ch'i-ch'ang was correct in his statement that the bamboos of Wen T'ung's school are strong, rigid, and well-planned in structure.

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