Four Masters of the Ming dynasty
The Four Masters of the Ming dynasty (Chinese: 明四家; pinyin: Míng Sì Jiā) are a traditional grouping in Chinese art history of four famous Chinese painters of the Ming dynasty.[citation needed] The group are Shen Zhou (1427-1509), Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), both of the Wu School, Tang Yin (1470-1523), and Qiu Ying (c.1494-c.1552). They were approximate contemporaries, with Shen Zhou the teacher of Wen Zhengming, while the other two studied with Zhou Chen. Their styles and subject matter were varied.[1] Shen and Wen exemplified the Wu School ideal of the gentleman artist, while Tang and Qiu epitomized the accomplished Suzhou professional. Qiu was solely a painter; the other three developed distinct styles of painting, calligraphy, and poetry.
Other names[]
There are several alternative terms for these four leading painters:[citation needed]
- Four Great Masters of the Ming (Chinese: 明四大家; pinyin: Míng Sì Dàjiā)
- Four Masters of Suzhou: all four came from the vicinity of Suzhou.[1]
- Four Masters of Wu (simplified Chinese: 吴门四家; traditional Chinese: 吴門四傢; pinyin: Wúmén Sìjiā): all four came from the region of Wu, which surrounds the city of Suzhou.[2]
The "Four Masters" designation was first used in the mid-Ming dynasty, probably during the Jiajing era, and has continued to be applied since then.
The painters[]
The painters were friends when they were living, and were very familiar with each other's work. Their family backgrounds varied;[citation needed] Tang Yin was born into a rich merchant family,[3] Wen Zhengming was born into a bureaucratic family and was himself a government official. Qiu Ying was a craftsman of dyes and lacquers.
Shen Zhou was one of the main founders of the Wu School of painting. Shen's early mentor was Du Qiong, and Shen's paternal grandfather was a friend of Wang Meng, an artist of the late Yuan dynasty. Shen's father and uncle were both painters.[citation needed]
Both Shen Zhou and Qiu Ying were most accomplished in shan shui painting, and they were well-versed in the painting style of the imperial court. Tang Yin was accomplished in nearly all styles of traditional Chinese painting.[3] Wen Zhengming was accomplished in blue-green shan shui painting and the gongbi style.
Wen Zhengming was a student of Shen Zhou. Zhou Chen was an important coach in Tang's early career, while Qiu Ying was self-taught. Except for Qiu, the other three were also classical Confucian scholars and accomplished calligraphers and poets.[citation needed]
Tang Yin later became a character in historical fiction and is very well known in popular culture.[3]
See also[]
- Four Masters of the Yuan dynasty
- Ming dynasty painting
- Ink and wash painting
- Bird-and-flower painting
- Four Arts of the Chinese Scholar
Notes[]
- ^ a b Rawson, p. 340
- ^ "Wumen Painting School and Four Master Painters of Suzhou". Chinadaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
- ^ a b c "Tang Yin: One of the Four Masters of Ming Dynasty". cultural-china.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
External links[]
- Tang Yin: One of the Four Masters of Ming dynasty
- Book: Four Masters of the Ming dynasty (in Chinese and English); ISBN 962-7239-42-9
- In Full Flower. Painting with Words: Gentleman Artists of the Ming Dynasty
References[]
- Rawson, Jessica (ed). The British Museum Book of Chinese Art, 2007 (2nd edn), British Museum Press, ISBN 9780714124469
- Ming dynasty painters
- Culture in Jiangsu
- History of Suzhou