There have been many great painters in the rich history of Chinese art from as early as the third century to the modern era. Chinese art is most famous for landscape painting and some of the greatest landscape masterpieces have been painted by Chinese artists.The period of the Five Dynasties to Northern Song (907–1127) is considered as the“Great age of Chinese landscape“.Here are 10 of the greatest painters from China and their most famous masterpieces.
Shen Zhou
Shen Zhou was one of“the Four Masters of Ming”along with Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming, and Qiu Ying.He played a pivotal role in the history of Chinese painting, contributed greatly to Chinese art by creating some of the most well-known masterpieces and founded the Wu School in Suzhou.Although Shen Zhou is most famous for his landscapes, he also created beautiful works depicting flowers,fruits,vegetables and animals.He had a very individualistic style and his accomplishments in art have led to him being revered by all artists devoted to the ideals of the literati tradition.
Wu Guanzhong
Widely considered as the founder of modern Chinese painting,Wu Guanzhong has captured various aspects of China in his paintings like its architecture, plants, animals, people and landscapes.Wu was influenced by Post-Impressionist art and went on to blend Western and Chinese styles to create a unique form of modern art.Although most of his early works were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in China, still many of his paintings,most notably his abstract landscapes, continue to inspire artists.In 1992,he became the first living Chinese artist whose work was exhibited at the British museum. Wu Guanzhong remains one of the most renowned contemporary artists in the world.
Born Zhu Da,Bada Shanren was a direct descendant of a prince in Ming Dynasty.He was a child prodigy who started to create art and poetry in early childhood.The fall of Ming Dynasty led to Zhu Da becoming a Buddhist monk. After 40 years,he quit monastic life and became a professional painter.Zhu also took many pseudonyms.One of them is Bada Shanren,the name by which he is known today. Apart from being the leading painter of his time,Shanren was a complete eccentric and individualist.His paintings are known for capturing the very essence of the flowers,plants and creatures he portrays.
One of the greatest contemporary Chinese painters, Qi Baishi is known for not being influenced by western styles like most of the painters of his time. He can be considered as the last great traditional painter of China.Qi Baishi painted almost everything from insects to landscapes.He is regarded highly in Chinese art for the “freshness and spontaneity that he brought to the familiar genres of birds and flowers, insects and grasses,hermit-scholars and landscapes“.In 1953, 4 years before his death, Qi Baishi was elected president of the Association of Chinese Artists.In 2008 a crater on Mercury was named Qi Baishi after him.His art remains highly valued and in 2011 his painting ‘Eagle Standing on Pine Tree’ sold for $65.5 million.
A brilliant student,Tang Yin was accused of bribing to get the examination paper in advance. This ended his chance to pursue a career in civil service.Jailed and disgraced, Tang began to earn his living through painting and led a life of pleasure. His peculiar life story and eccentric lifestyle has made Yin an immortal figure in Chinese folklore.Tang created his personal style in painting by assimilating the techniques of the Four Great Masters of the Yuan.He is most known for his paintings that depict feminine beauty and is regarded as one of the “Four Masters of Ming dynasty“.He remains one of the most famous painters in the history of Chinese art.
The“Four Great Masters of the Yuan dynasty”had a profound and lasting effect on Chinese art.Traits like individuality of expression, brushwork to reveal the inner spirit instead of outer appearance and suppression of decorative,even realistic,in favor of plainness mark the works of the great masters of Yuan.Huang Gongwang is the earliest and the most famous of the Four Masters.He is now regarded as the perfect literati (ink wash painting) painter.His work‘Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains‘is considered as one of the greatest masterpieces of Chinese art.
Want to learn Business Chinese?
