Gong Xian

Author: Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: Gong Xian (1618—1689), also known as Qi Xian, styled Banqian and Banmu, styled Yeyi, also styled Chai Zanger and Zhongshan Yelao. He was from Kunshan, Jiangsu, and resided in Jinling (now Nanjing). He was a famous Ming Dynasty painter of the "Remnant People" and known for the line "Old Return to Zhongshan as a Remnant Person." He was the leader of the "Eight Masters of Jinling" and excelled in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. He wrote "Cao Xiang Tang Collection" and "Banmu Garden Poetry." His landscape paintings broke away from contemporary styles, tracing back to Dong Yuan and Ju Ran, with deep ink usage. His brushwork and scraping techniques were applied over ten times, and he claimed to have no predecessors or successors. He painted self-portraits as a "Leaf Sweeping Monk," naming his residence the "Leaf Sweeping Tower." He left behind "Painting Principles," which were profound yet accessible to beginners. Gong Xian's landscape paintings possess distinct artistic characteristics. In terms of technique, his works stand out for their ink usage. Gong Xian's landscape paintings highly emphasize composition. His paintings offer expansive vistas and diverse atmospheres. His "Three Distances" compositional principles are fully realized, transcending the ordinary. He often elevates the viewpoint for "Flat Distance" compositions, adopting a bird's-eye perspective, which enhances the sense of openness and ethereality within the frame. Within the limited space, mountains and rivers appear boundless. Similarly, for "High Distance" compositions, he first employs a bird's-eye view, then shifts to an upward gaze, capturing the grandeur of looking down into deep valleys and upward at towering peaks. He pays great attention to the positioning of the upper and lower elements. His landscape paintings are generally "full" but not cramped, often using clouds and flowing water to create breathing spaces. Overall, his works are full of artistic rhythm. This is the harmony of brush, ink, and landscape that Gong Xian achieved, creating distinctive regional landscape paintings. He is undeniably the leader of the "Jinling Painting School."