Studio in Bamboo Grove

Object Details

• Artist

  Shen Zhou 沈周 (1427-1509)

• Label

  Shen Zhou, a native of Xiangcheng, ten miles north of Suchou, was a poet, calligrapher and painter. He was the teacher of Wen Zhengming and Tang Yin, together with Qiu Ying, they were the Four Great Masters of the Ming dynasty. Shen Zhou was considered as the founder of the Wu School and made Suchou a leading center for art.

  This short handscroll depicts a studio, which contains a small group of thatched and tiled huts surrounded by a bamboo grove on a small and flat island at a lake side. A scholar with a lute and a container of books sits in the hut in front of a calligraphy screen. There is a bridge behind the hut connecting the island with the mountain path. An open pavilion is located on the near shore across from the island. There is a group of tall trees in the left foreground hills, which gives a view from the studio.

  Although the painting is not signed, the seal 'Chinan' and the distinct personal style of the brushwork and coloring clearly indicate Shen Zhou as the author of the painting. A poem by Shen Zhou in seven-character meter on a separate piece of paper attached at the end of the painting. Both the content of the poem and the size of the paper indicate that it was originally composed and written for this short handscroll. Together with the poem by Wang Ao at the end, both poems concern the owner of the studio's 'The Love of Bamboo.'

  According to the records, in 1471, Shen Zhou built the new studio located less than a mile from his old family house. He wrote an essay to obtain bamboo from friends to be planted around the studio. Shen Zhou named the studio Yuzhuchu, 'The Bamboo Dwelling.' His uncle and friends presented Shen Zhou with a series of poems to commemorate the event. Aside from the Sackler painting, there is another famous handscroll entitled 'The Bamboo Dwelling,' listed among the recorded painting by Shen Zhou. Among the many poems attached to that scroll, there is a poem and a colophon dated in 1467 by Hsu Youjen (1407-1472). Another colophon dated in 1478 by Wu Kuan (1436-1504) mentioned that 15 years ago he had visited 'The Bamboo Dwelling.' These colophons indicate that the studio may have already existed in early 1460s.

  Although the Sackler painting is not dated, judging from the style and the seal 'Baishih Weng' which was used only after Shen Zhou was sixty, the painting could not have been done before 1486. So the painting may be datable to around 1490. Because Shen Zhou lived for another 19 years, this painting may still be considered as a painting from his late middle period."

• Provenance

  1949 to 1953

  C. T. Loo, INC., New York [1]

  1953 to 1961

  C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, NY [2]

  1962

  Sale, New York, Park-Bernett Galleries, Chinese Art Jades, Porcelains, Sculptures: From the Estate of the Late C. T. Loo & Company, Sold by the Order of the Heirs, October 11, 1962, lot 120/2: “Mountain and River Scenes with Pavilions: Two Paintings.” [3]

  By 1982 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY

  [4]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [5]

  Notes:

  [1] See C. T. Loo & Company/ C. T. Loo INC, New York, NY stock no. G 9124, copy in object file. The stock card reports that the painting came from China in “Mar 1949.” In 1948, Loo lost access to trade in and export from China; perhaps this object was shipped before Loo lost all ability to conduct Chinese trade. In 1948, he began operating as C. T. Loo, INC.

  [2] C. T. Loo formed C. T. Loo, INC. in 1948, when his former company, C. T. Loo & Company lost direct access to trade in China. In 1950, Loo announced his retirement and named his associate, Frank Caro as his successor. Frank Caro took over C. T. Loo & Company, with Loo serving as a silent partner, on September 1, 1952. Caro rebranded the company as C. T. Loo Chinese Art. C. T. Loo, INC was dissolved by the summer of 1953.

  [3] C. T. Loo & Frank Caro’s agreement, which stipulated Loo would fund Caro’s operation of C. T. Loo Chinese Art through 1961. Loo’s heirs (Monique, Denise, Olga, and Janine Loo Pierre-Emmanuel) sold the remaining objects that C. T. Loo & Company owned and other New York properties. See: Park-Bernet Galleries, INC. Chinese Art: Jades, Porcelains, Sculptures from the Estate of the Late C. T. Loo Sold by the Order of the Heirs (New York, October 10 -11, 1982) no. 410.

  [4] Arthur M. Sackler had the object in his collection at the time of the July 28, 1982 agreement to gift objects to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

  [5] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Painting with Words: Gentlemen Artists of the Ming Dynasty (April 16 to July 24, 2016)

  Les trois reves du mandarin (October 22, 2009 to February 14, 2010)

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo, INC. (ca. 1948-no later than July 1953)

  C.T. Loo Chinese Art (1953-1961)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  Xiangcheng, China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1400s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., C.T. Loo Chinese Art, C.T. Loo, INC.

• Place

  Xiangcheng, China

• Topic

  Pavilion, Bridges, Art, Chinese Art, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Bamboo, Islands

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings