: Eight Great Mountains Man

Author: Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features:
Bai Maren (1626-1705), originally named Zhu Da, also known as Zhu Daolang, styled Liangyue. "Baimashan" was his literary name in his later years. He was a descendant of the sixteenth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, Prince Ning Zhuquan. After Prince Ning was enfeoffed to Nanchang, his descendants lived in Nanchang and other places in each generation, forming eight branches, with Baimashan being the seventh-generation descendant of Prince Yiyang. His grandfather, Zhu Duo (P95), was a poet and painter whose landscape painting style was largely influenced by the Mi family, gaining considerable fame. His father, Zhu Moujin, was also skilled in landscape and flower-and-bird painting, renowned in Jiangxi, but unfortunately passed away from an eye disease in middle age. His uncle, Zhu Mou (P95), was also a painter and author of "Painting History Collected Works." Baimashan grew up in a royal family, receiving artistic influence from his elders from a young age. He was intelligent and eager to learn, able to compose poems by the age of eight and paint green mountains and clear waters by the age of eleven. Even in childhood, he could write small regular script in the style of Mi family with his arm raised. In his youth, he participated in local examinations and was admitted as a student.
Baimashan's calligraphy and seal carving also displayed his unique style. He diligently absorbed the excellent traditions of calligraphers, creating an artistic style characterized by bold, upright, and unrestrained brushwork. He was also a master calligrapher in China. His seals were simple yet vigorous, with profound meanings and a distinctive style.
Baimashan's painting had a significant impact on Chinese painting. For over three hundred years, famous masters of the freehand brushwork style have been influenced by him to varying degrees, such as the "Eight of Yangzhou" during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Wu Changshuo in the late Qing Dynasty, and Qi Baishi in modern times. Baimashan undoubtedly stands as a great master among ancient Chinese painters and as a master of the freehand brushwork style since the Yuan and Ming dynasties.