Panda Eating Bamboo

This sweet image is typical of Wu Zuoren’s many studies, drawn locally in Sichuan, a region famous for pandas and bamboo in southwestern China. Here, a seated panda concentrates on eating the bamboo, using its paws, while three bamboo stalks and a root are close by behind him. Wu applied thick ink in broad washes to form the panda’s eyes, ears, and round structure, and lightly curving lines to sketch the contours of its body, using these contrasting tones to express the adorable playfulness of the living creature.

A native of Suzhou, Wu studied art in Europe and later taught at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. The panda is one of Wu’s favorite subjects, and his characteristically rhythmic and softly accented ink washes owe much to Qi Baishi (1863–1957), who achieved considerable success as a painter of small animals. Wu’s subjects—pandas, buffalo, farmers, and children—embody the nature-loving spirit of many people in rural China. His sympathetic portrayal of lovely animals especially earned him huge popularity worldwide. Wu also painted in oil, but spent more time creating ink paintings in his later years.