Great Masters of Landscape Painting of Ming Dynasty (明朝)(1368–1644)
Four Great Masters of Ming Period (明四大家)
Shen Zhou (沈周)(1427–1509), Wen Zhengming (文徵明)(1470–1559), Tang Yin (唐寅) (1470–1524) and Qiu Ying (仇英)(c1494–1552) are regarded as the Four Great Masters of Ming Dynasty. They are also known as Four Masters of Wu (吴門四家). They were approximate contemporaries are lived among Suzhou (蘇州) in the Jiangsu (江蘇) Province. Shen Zhou was the teacher of Wen Zhengming, while Tang Yin and Qiu Ying studied with Zhou Chen (周臣).
Shen Zhou (沈周)(1427–1509), Lofty Mount Lu (廬山高), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 193.8 x 98.1 cm, National Palace Museum Taipei (國立故宫博物院)
Shen Zhou uses the majesty and vigor of Mount Lu as a 70th birthday blessing for his teacher, Chen Kuan (陳寬). The painting depicts a lofty mountain with crags and ravines.
Wen Zhengming (文徵明)(1470–1559), Flying Cascades in a Pine-Filled Ravine (松壑飛泉), dated 1516, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 108.1 x 37.8 cm, National Palace Museum Taipei (國立故宫博物院)details of the above painting
Tang Yin (唐寅)(1470-1524) Murmuring Pines on a Mountain Path (山路松聲), ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll, 194.5 x 102.8 cm, National Palace Museum Taipei (國立故宫博物院)
Qiu Ying (仇英)(c1494-1552) Pavilions in the Mountains of the Immortal (仙山樓閣圖), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 110.5 x 42.1 cm, National Palace Museum Taipei (國立故宫博物院)Details of the above painting
Some Other Great Masters
Dai Jin (戴進)(1388-1462), Zhou Chen (周臣) (1460–1535), Lu Zhi (陸治) (1496-1576), Wen Boren (文伯仁) (1502-1575), Ding Yunpeng (丁雲鹏) (1547-1628), Dong Qichang (董其昌)( 1555–1636) and Lan Ying (藍瑛) (1585-1664) are a few of the great masters of landscape painting in the Ming Dynasty.
Dai Jin (戴進)(1388-1462) Travellers on Guan Shan (關山行旅圖軸), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 61.8 x 29.7 cm, Imperial Palace Museum (故宫博物院)
Zhou Chen (周臣)(1460–1535) Farewell Guests at Chai Men (柴門送客圖軸), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 121 x 57 cm, Nanjing Museum (南京博物院)
Lu Zhi (陸治)(1496-1576) Peach Blossom Spring (桃源圖軸), dated 1567, ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll, 141.7 x 62.6 cm, Shanghai Museum (上海博物館)
Wen Boren (文伯仁)(1502-1575), Gazing into The Waterfall by The Autumnal Precipice (秋巖觀瀑圖軸), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 342.7 x 97.6 cm, Shanghai Museum (上海博物館)
Qian Gu (錢穀)(1508- after 1578) Hu Qiu Qian Shan (虎丘前山圖軸), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 111.7 x 31.8 cm), Imperial Palace Museum (故宫博物院)
Ding Yunpeng (丁雲鹏)(1547-1628) Arrival of the Guests to Pine Wood (松林客至圖軸), ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 139 x 28.9 cm), Imperial Palace Museum (故宫博物院)
Dong Qichang (董其昌)(1555–1636) After Wu Zhen’s Landscape Painting (仿梅道人山水圖軸), ink on silk, 97.4 x 38 cm, Zhejiang Provincial Museum (浙江省博物館)
Lan Ying (藍瑛)(1585-1664), Red Maples (丹楓紅樹圖軸), ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll, 184.3 x 50.8 cm, Shanghai Museum (上海博物館)
Bibliography:
Liu Yang, et al (2004) Fantastic Mountains- Chinese Landscape Painting from the Shanghai Museum 靈山: 上海博物館藏中國明清山水畫, Art Gallery of New South Wales, ISBN 0-7347-6356-5
楊海平, et al (2013) Illustrated Handbook of Chinese Painting History 中国绘画图鉴 浙江人民美术出版社 ISBN 978-7-5340-3666-8
Patrick Siu Chinese Calligraphy & Landscape Painting 蕭燿漢談書畫 