Plum, Pine, and Bamboo
Xugu (Chinese, 1823-1896)
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), mid- to late 19th century
- Medium
- Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
- Classification
- Painting
- Dimensions
- 147.9 × 81.3 cm (58 1/4 × 32 in.)
- Culture
- China
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Asia
- Credit line
- Gift of Florence Ayscough and Harley Farnsworth MacNair
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
This painting presents the overlapping branches of pine, plum, and bamboo trees—three species traditionally asso-ciated with integrity because of their enduring nature. Xugu, originally named Zhu Huairen, was a military officer who gave up his career to become a Chan Buddhist monk during the Taiping Rebellion (1850–64). After wander-ing the cities to sell his paintings, he settled in Shanghai and became a prominent member of the art world there. Xugu excelled at capturing lively impressions of plants and animals, such as bamboo, wisteria, squirrels, and fish.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
