Bamboo and Insects
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 1100s
Bamboo and Insects — Painting, by Wu Bing (Chinese, active 1190–1194), made in China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), dated late 1100s. Wu Bing, a native of Piling, gained Empress Li’s favor and served as a painter-in-attendance at the court in Hangzhou during the Shaoxi reign (1190–94).
The round fan painting shows a dragonfly hovering over a stalk of bamboo, a bush cricket (<em>luowei</em>) perching on a leaf, and a flying wasp. <br><br> Yellow leaf tips suggest the late summer or early autumn season. The chirping of the cricket sounds similar to the sound of a working loom; the insect is therefore also called <em>weaving lady</em> (<em>fangzhi niang</em>). The weaving season starts when the weather is about to turn cold—the cricket symbolizes early autumn.
Physical description: Album leaf; fan painting, ink on silk; Image: 24.8 x 26.8 cm (9 3/4 x 10 9/16 in.).
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Held by Cleveland Museum of Art (object no. 1964.154). The museum record attributes this piece to Wu Bing (Chinese, active 1190–1194) in China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) around late 1100s. Details beyond the museum's own catalogue entry have not been independently verified.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Image: 24.8 x 26.8 cm (9 3/4 x 10 9/16 in.)
- Materials techniques
- Album leaf; fan painting, ink on silk
Identification
- Source note
- All details come from the object's own museum catalogue record; nothing has been copied from other entries.
- Museum object name
- Painting
- Museum object number
- 1964.154
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.