Cleveland Museum of Art

Bamboo, Rocks and Lonely Orchids

Zhao Mengfu

Date

1271–1368

Medium

Handscroll; ink on paper

Culture

China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Bamboo and orchids are motifs associated with the virtues of the scholar-official. Bamboo that bends but does not break stands for moral integrity, endurance, and loyalty. Wild, fragrant orchids that bloom in the shadow symbolize modesty and the aura of learnedness. Rocks are often considered to be miniature versions of mountains that form the universe. This monochrome ink painting is brushed on paper in a masterfully calligraphic manner. While the rocks are delineated in chalky, dry strokes showing the effect of flying white ( feibai ), the bamboo and orchids are drawn with a swift brush demonstrating the virtuosity of the artist. One of the many inscriptions records that the handscroll was last remounted by Xu Shudong 徐曙東 of Jiaxing 嘉興 in 1802.

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