Courtesy Name: Wen Bi
A student of Shen Zhou, one of the four masters of Ming Dynasty Paintings, One of the Four literary masters of the Wuzhong (Suzhou) region/Four Literary Masters of Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River)
Born 1470 Suzhou China and passes in 1559.
He aspired to have a career in office and underwent many civil service examinations however he failed them. But when he has finally attained a position as Academician-in-Attendance he realised that he didn’t feel fulfilled and wished to pursue the arts. He then returned to his hometown and devoted his life to poetry, calligraphy and painting.
He had taken Shen Zhou as his teacher for painting but further exposed himself to works of ancient masters with the help of his family’s extensive network. He explored landscape as well as paintings of nature. Embracing the literary arts in his works as well. With his extensive knowledge and exposure to the different styles, along with Shen Zhou, he became one of the leaders of Wu School and brought about a great impact on the painting and calligraphy scene in both the mid and late Ming Dynasty.
Two of his son as well as his nephew, Wen Jia, Wen Peng and Wen Boren all followed behind his footsteps to become artists as well. With the teachings and philosophies of their elder, the compositions of their landscape art showcased great control and perception.
Contending stream among myriads of valleys (Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper)
The balance of the entire painting comes together harmoniously with the weighed out balance of the top and bottom of the painting. Travelling down from the top it becomes darker in shade and more spread out in structure as he illustrates a crowded foreground with the trees with a darker green. The sparseness and creation of the atmospheric space with the use of the lighter colours as well as the structures of the mountains. The many different streams converge together as it guides us through the painting. Wen Zhengming uses the ripples of the stream to create this movement and guidance through the painting. The colour choice of the different cold greens on the mountains as they blend in the sort of gradient ink wash he has created. The green colour often in Chinese culture symbolises cleanliness and purity from contamination. The colours allow for this adaptation and expressionism. A clean and peaceful mountain terrain creates this tranquil vastness.
At the bottom of the painting, darker cold green is used for the trees, which help create depth and perspective in the painting. He layers the inks on the different shadows creating value to showcase the different levels in terrain
A few scholars are seen at the bottom of the painting as they converse in the valley. This showcases the vastness and balance of the valley in the painting. Wen Zhengming creates this elusive and calm like scenery with the use of the elements that come together and translate the harmony.
Therefore I would say in this work although there not being a lot of symbolic elements that showcase his expressionism, his use of colours and way of illustrating the elements creates this bountiful and deep expression and feeling as we look at it.
Garden of pleasure in solitude (Hand-scroll, ink on paper)
Although a more simplistic looking painting compared to the previous one, I would say the specific piece of his holds much more feeling and emotion. This painted garden contains some willow trees, bamboos, pine trees. A small hut is located in the middle of it as a master sits and enjoys the atmosphere, a servant girl standing behind holding what looks like some blankets. With the look of the bamboo one of the Four Gentlemen plants, represents summer. Wen Zhengming may have painted this with the season of summer in his mind as one enjoys the peace and quiet in his garden by the lake. Again Wen Zhengming has used the technique of the ripples in the water to create this movement. This time, the water is slow and calm.
With the small cloud in the sky, it would seem it is a clear day with this vastness of space he has created.
The entire painting has a very open and free concept, with it being well sparse and not crowded. This evokes a feeling of solitude and lone as the man simply stares into the open through his window, enjoying the scenery.
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