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Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2016.23
Title
Bamboo in Mist
Classification
Paintings
Work Type
fan, painting
Date
probably 19th century
Places
Creation Place: East Asia, China
Period
Qing dynasty, 1644-1911
Culture
Chinese
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/353114

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Folding fan painting mounted as an album leaf; ink on gold-flecked paper
Dimensions
painting max.: H. 24.5 x W. 53.2 cm (9 5/8 x 20 15/16 in.)
mat size: H. 36.2 x W. 55.2 cm (14 1/4 x 21 3/4 in.)
painting chord: H. 18.5 cm (7 5/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
William Crout, Cambridge, MA (probably 1970s and 80s-2016), bequest; to Harvard Art Museums, 2016.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of William Crout
Accession Year
2016
Object Number
2016.23
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Painted in ink on gold-flecked paper, this painting represents gracefully curved sprays of bamboo in misty rain, implied in part by the downward bend of the stalks and leaves that bear the weight of the rain's moisture. Multiple shades of black and diluted gray ink brushstrokes invoke a sense of spacial depth and heighten the viewer's sense of the scene's rain-soaked surroundings. Flecks of metal decorate the paper ground like raindrops and mist. The artist's inscription at the upper right and dedication in the lower left fill the empty spaces of the composition and create a visual balance. Once affixed to a folding fan frame, this painting is now mounted as an album leaf.

The inscription at the upper right translates:
“Drenched bamboo in heavy mist should never be painted with leaves pointing upward. Here, bowing leaves are more faithful depiction of bamboo branches arched by the misty rain.”

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu