The Four Masters of the Southern Song Dynasty refers to the collective name of Li Tang, Liu Songnian, Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, the landscape painters of the Southern Song Dynasty in the history of Chinese painting. They are also known as "The Four". Masters of the Southern Song Dynasty" and also known as "Li Liu and Ma Xia". Each has their own style. Among them, Li Tang has sharp brushes, rigorous painting, very powerful and minimalist style .Liu Songnian is good at ink and green paintings. Ma Yuan is a very thoughtful and bold composition. He can better present the overall feeling of space and exude a very rich poetic flavor. by Xia Gui is lively and lively. Her brushwork is simple, rich in changes, simple but not simple
Li Tang
Painter of the Southern Song Dynasty (ca. 1083-). 1163). The word is Xigu Originating from Sancheng, Heyang (now Countye Meng, Henan province). Li Tang entered the Academy of Painting during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty. After moving to the south, he was appointed to the Academy of Painting with the title of Cheng Zhonglang and awaited imperial edicts. . He created style variations and created a style of painting in the Southern Song Dynasty.
The general background for the development of the “Four Schools of the Southern Song Dynasty” was the establishment of the Southern Song Dynasty in Lin'an. After political power stabilized slightly, Zhao Gou reorganized the palace. Painting Academy. The paintings of Jiangnan region developed based on the inheritance of the achievements of the Northern Song Dynasty. In the new world of development, the “Four Schools of the Southern Song Dynasty” represented the painting achievements of this period. Emperor Gaozong once wrote about Juan Yun du Xiajiang Temple: "Li Tang is comparable to Li Sixun of the Tang Dynasty", and the character is extremely similar to Li Gonglin. Painting cows also means carrying a stick. He is the first of the four great masters of the Southern Song dynasty.
Liu Songnian
Liu Songnian, a native of Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang), was called "Liu Qingbo" or "Anmen Liu" because he lived in exterior of Qingbo Gate (commonly known as Qingbo Gate) secret door). Chunxi was a student at the Academy of Painting and was promoted to the Academy of Painting during the Shaoxi period (1190~1194).
The “Four Landscape Scenes” depicts the landscape of the West Lake Courtyard Villa in four seasons. In the spring scene, there are green willows and lush grasses. Traveling in search of spring is full of vitality; in the summer scene, there are lush flowers and trees. The new lotus has just started to appappear, and the owner sits quietly and enjoys the cool; in the autumn scene, the old trees have been frosted, the autumn colors are very thick, the courtyard is deep, and the old people are sitting alone; in the winter scene, the white snow floats in winter, the early wind bites, crosses the donkey bridge and walks The snow is looking for plum blossoms.
Ma Yuan
Ma Yuan, courtesy name Yaofu and nicknamed Qinshan, was originally from Hezhong (now Yongji, Shanxi) and was born in Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). -grandfather, grandfather, my uncle, my brother and I all worked at the Painting Academy and were active during the reigns of Guangzong and Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty. Ma Yuan is an expert in landscapes, figures, flowers and birds. His mountain master followed Li Tang's example, mainly using ink and ink, and his brushwork is powerful and concise.The painting is characterized by simple and ingenious layout, harsh or "axe-cut" lines, vigorous ink and wash, and deep and distant artistic conception, which mark the characteristics of landscape painting of the Song Dynasty of the South. The achievements of water-based painting are particularly remarkable. Ma Yuan is known as "Ma Yijiao", which means that Ma Yuan usually paints a corner of the landscape. The lines of trees and rocks he paints are strong and solid, like the curved corners of a hairpin.
Xia Gui
Xia Gui, also known as Xia Gui, courtesy name Yuyu, was born in Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). Ningzong of the Song Dynasty went to the Painting Academy to await the imperial edict. Beginners learn the figures, then master the landscapes. In terms of composition, Xia Gui is better at cropping and beautifying natural landscapess, and is good at painting “corner scenes”. Xia Gui is known as "Xia Banbian", which means that Xia Gui has most of the landscape with mountains, rivers, beaches and forests. On this illustrated page, the sycamore is painted with double outlines in thick ink. Vigorous and simple, the bamboo leaves are painted in different shades, the figures in the huts are outlined with simple brushes and the distant mountains are lightly tinted green flowers. The brushstrokes are decisive, the ink flows, the brush is old. , but the charm is discreet. Existing works include “Streams and Mountains in Clear Distance”, “Willow Boats in the West Lake”, “Ten Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River”, etc.
From Li Tang and Liu Songnian to Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, unique landscape paintings of the Southern Song Dynasty were developed. This type of composition "a corner and a half-sidetee" leaves a large empty space in the image, making the image and landscape more concise, with a clear and prominent subject and a complete artistic conception. This is a style of composition highly artistically refined by the " Four Artists of the Southern Song Dynasty” based on a summary of the painting experience of their predecessors, making the picture blend with the scenes and be full of rich poetic flavor