Bidspirit auction | Hanging Scroll: Landscape by Shitao

Hanging Scroll: Landscape by Shitao (1642-1707), Provenance: Lin Family Collection, Rui'an, Zhejiang - Shi Tao (c. 1642–1707), born Zhu Ruoji, also known by his art names Shi Tao, Monk Bitter Gourd (Kugua Heshang), and Da Dizi, was a painter active during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Breaking free from conventional techniques, he advocated ”gathering inspiration from countless extraordinary peaks to create sketches,” emphasizing the importance of learning from nature. His brushwork was unrestrained and vigorous, characterized by a majestic and uniquely profound artistic conception. He excelled particularly in landscape painting but was also accomplished in bird-and-flower and figure subjects. As one of the ”Four Monk Artists of the Early Qing Dynasty,” Shi Tao exerted a profound and lasting influence on later generations of Chinese painters.