Artist: Shitao (1642-1707)

Date: Qing (1644-1911), dated 1681

Dimensions: Height 200.7 cm, Width 69.2 cm

Material: Ink on paper

• Object Type：
  • PAINTINGS
• Location：
  • Chinese Painting Gallery
• Tag：
  • reading cottage mountain hanging scroll shitao qing 1681 ink paper

Shitao (1642-1707), a descendant of the Ming dynasty royal family, was originally named Zhu Ruoji. He was known by his Buddhist name Yuanji, his zi (designated name) Shitao and his hao (literary name) Dadizi. A native of Quanzhou in Guangxi, he moved to Xuancheng and Nanjing in succession, and finally settled in Yangzhou. Adept in painting landscape and flowers, he was one of the "Four Monks of the early Qing". The painting depicts lush plants and forests with dense dots and shading strokes, evoking a classical grandeur. This painting was painted in the 20^th year (1681) of the Kangxi reign when the artist was 40.