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The 4 Most Famous Mi Fu Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 4 works by Mi Fu in our catalogue
In short
Title(Japanese): 草書四帖 (1000) is the Mi Fu painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Осака. After it, the eye goes to Model Calligraphies of Yingguang Hall (Yingguangtang tie)\n\nImage 1 of album 1 (1200) and Poem Written in a Boat on the Wu River (1095). Among the 4 works of Mi Fu in our catalog, these 4 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1051 – 1107, Jiangsu
Most works: Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
Top 10 paintings by Mi Fu, through the gallery's eye
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Model Calligraphies of Yingguang Hall (Yingguangtang tie)\n\nImage 1 of album 1
Yingguangtang Tie is a collection of model calligraphy by Mi Fu (1051–1108) of the Northern Song. The rubbing was commissioned by Yue Ke (1183– after 1241), grandson of the famous General Yue Fei during the early Shaoding reign of the Southern Song (ca. 1229–1233). Mi Fu was a great painter and one of the
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Poem Written in a Boat on the Wu River
Sun Guoting"s Manual on Calligraphy (687) states that calligraphy reveals the character and emotions of the writer. Few works demonstrate this principle as clearly as this handscroll by Mi Fu, the leading calligrapher of late Northern Song. Mi wrote Sailing on the Wu River with a suspended arm, working from the elbow rather than the wrist. It was not his aim to form perfect characters; instead, he entrusted his writing…
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The museums that keep Mi Fu's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Mi Fu | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts |
Осака | 1 | Title(Japanese): 草書四帖 |
 Yale University Art Gallery |
New Haven | 1 | Mountains and Water |
Mi Fu across the years: the unique originals of each
All the dated Mi Fu originals shown here belong to a single year, 1095: they appear in order of fame.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
1095
Poem Written in a Boat on the Wu River
Age 44
1 work this year
Sun Guoting"s Manual on Calligraphy (687) states that calligraphy reveals the character and emotions of the writer. Few works demonstrate this principle as clearly as this handscroll by Mi Fu, the leading calligrapher of late Northern Song. Mi wrote Sailing on the Wu River with a suspended arm, working from the elbow rather than the wrist. It was not his aim to form perfect characters; instead, he entrusted his writing…
Mi Fu's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Mi Fu?Reveal the answer
Title(Japanese): 草書四帖 (1000), Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Осака. Model Calligraphies of Yingguang Hall (Yingguangtang tie)\n\nImage 1 of album 1 (1200) and Poem Written in a Boat on the Wu River (1095) come next.
How many works by Mi Fu are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 4 works by Mi Fu.
Where can the most famous Mi Fu originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts (Осака) and Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven). The museum table above lists them all.
Where can I order a hand-painted Mi Fu reproduction?Reveal the answer
Yes, as a reproduction: the original stays in its museum, but any painting on this page can be painted by hand for you, made to order one at a time, from the painting's own page.
Mi Fu: a portrait of the artist
early life and career
mi fei, a chinese painter, poet, and calligrapher, was born in 1051 ce in taiyuan during the song dynasty. his early life showed signs of interest in arts and letters, as well as unusual memory skills. as a member of a family with connections to the imperial family, mi fei was allowed the privilege of living in the royal palaces, where he began his career as reviser of books, professor of painting and calligraphy.artistic style and legacy
mi fei's style of painting misty landscapes, known as the "mi fu" style, involved the use of large wet dots of ink applied with a flat brush. this unique technique earned him a reputation as one of the four greatest calligraphers of the song dynasty, alongside su shi, hung tingjian, and cai xian. his son, mi youren, also became a well-known painter, adopting his father's use of large dots of wet ink, later nicknamed "mi dots."notable works and collections
* zhao mengfu: riders leading a white horse (indianapolis museum of art, silk) - showcases mi fei's influence on subsequent generations of artists. * wen zhengming: the studio of true appreciation (zhen shang zhai) (china modern and contemporary art document research center, paper) - demonstrates the enduring impact of mi fei's style on chinese art.personality and later life
mi fei was known for his eccentric personality, including a mania for cleanliness and an obsession with collecting stones, earning him the nickname "madman mi." he was also a heavy drinker. despite this, he continued to produce remarkable works of art, leaving behind a legacy as one of china's most celebrated artists.- view more of mi fei's work on OriginalUniqueArt: mi fei | OriginalUniqueArt
- explore the song dynasty's artistic heritage: song dynasty - wikipedia
- discover other notable artists on OriginalUniqueArt: art movements - OriginalUniqueArt