Artist: Ma Yu
Date: Ming (1368-1644)
Dimensions: Height 29.0 cm, Width 115.6 cm
Material: Ink and colour on paper
Ma Yu, also known by his zi (designated name) Yizhi and his hao (literary name) Chichi Daoren, was native to Jiading (nowadays Shanghai). He was the son of the court painter Ma Shi. A jinshi (a successful candidate of imperial civil-examination) in the 8th year (1464) of the Tianshun reign, he was an official in the Department of Punishments. He lived in Suzhou in his late years and was a friend of Shen Zhou and his family. This painting was painted for Wang Jun, the Governmental Supervisor of Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou, and Zhenjiang. Ma Yu's meticulous and restrained ink brushstrokes is a precursor to Shen Zhou's style. He was a pioneer of the Wu School.