Luo Pin, Bamboo 2

Chinese art is characterized by minimalistic elegance and profound spiritual symbolics. Graceful ink lines drawn delicately over crispy rice paper quite often hold a metaphor of the artist’s emotions and state of mind. We can read this message in images of nature, plants and animals, always reserved and detached in means of expression yet full of subtle poetry and profound philosophy. One of the painters that has been particularly praised as indispensable part of Chinese culture is Luo Pin. Having learned painting from great artists and calligraphers like Jin Nong, he eventually developed his own recognizable style and took a prominent position beside his teacher.

Monk of the Temple of Flowers

- Since early years, Luo Pin showed himself as a gifted artist and poet. He particularly enjoyed painting plum and bamboo which had grown into his signature images.

- In his twenties, the young man met famous artist Jin Nong whose works greatly impressed him with their beauty and emotionality. Jin Nong, for his part, was charmed by Luo Pin’s talent and artistic vision.

- The two worked closely together for several years. During this time, Luo Pin painted pictures for Jin Nong who signed and sold them as his own.

- It wasn’t until his teacher’s death that Luo Pin gained individual recognition. The artist came to Beijing where he displayed a long scroll with impressive images of ghosts that he assured to have seen with his own eyes.

- Up until his last days, Luo Pin adhered to Buddhism and lead an austere lifestyle signing his works as ‘Monk of the Temple of Flowers.’

Meaningless and meaningful

This painting is one of Luo Pin’s most recognizable creations. It depicts a bamboo stem fluttering in the wind. Though the image is very simple, even minimalistic, it tells us pretty much though shading and brushwork. Since some leaves are painted lighter and some are painted darker, we get a distinct impression of volume. We can also intuitively guess where the light is coming from and how much of it there is which gives us a hint that it is probably sunset. Bamboo at sunset offers much more space for romantic and philosophical implications, doesn’t it? By blurring some of the outlines, the artist also conveys a sense of motion making the scene more dynamic and vivid. We can almost feel the wind lightly stirring the leaves and hear them rustling gently in response. At the same time, there is nothing in the background to complete the scenery - just this bare bamboo stem in its piercing loneliness and existential freedom. You, too, can hang a premium oil reproduction of Luo Pin’s original work on your wall and reconnect with your inner Buddhist!