Wang Shimin

Wang Shimin was a Chinese painter of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, who was born in Taicang, Jiangsu province. He was tutored in painting by his grandfather, who was a prime minister in the late Ming dynasty, and his father, who was a Hanlin Academy editor for the court, and who had studied with Dong Qichang, the leading painter and theorist of the time. Wang Shimin followed the dicta laid down by Dong Qichang, who advocated the creative transformation of the styles of past masters. Wang Shimin was also a court official and a curator of the imperial collection during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor. He was known for his landscape paintings that combined the techniques of dry brush strokes, ink washes, and color patterns. He often imitated the styles of Yuan dynasty artists such as Huang Gongwang and Wang Meng, but also added his own innovations and personal expressions. He was a member of the Six Masters of the early Qing period, also known as the Four Wangs, a Wu and a Yun. He was highly influential in the development of Chinese painting and was praised by later artists and critics. He died at the age of 88 in 1680.