Dong Yuan

Artist: Dong Yuan

Background: He was born in Zhongling in the year c. 932 he was known for his figure and landscape art. He and his pupil had also founded the Southern Style of Landscape painting.

Famous work: The Xiao and Xiang Rivers.

Zhongling like many other artists from his time used a calligraphy brush and black or colored ink (Made from animal glue and pine soot for black ink, the ink contained no oil whatsoever) and had painted it on silk. The art was combined with the standard techniques used during the time as well as his own unique technique which gave the mountains on the painting a more distant look. The painting itself due to way its been painted and constructed has a much more distinct middle ground.

View able at the Palace Museum.

Why I like the artist: I really really love and admire Chinese art. The main thing I like is how they managed to bring out the tranquility of an image they see in real life out and you can just imagine the scene or area just by staring at the painting. The Xiao and Xiang rivers is done without any outline and this makes the painting a whole lot more realistic and it just captures my attention.