Early Medieval: original voices

17 Famous Early Medieval Slikari Who Shaped the Movement

Wang Wei (699–759) is the most famous Early Medieval slikar, whose singular vision gave us Seven and a Half Years Old i Winter Landscape. Next stand Dong Yuan, Zhang Xuan, Yan Liben i Wu Daozi. These 17 slikarima, from Emperor Yuan of Liang (born 508) to Zhao Chang (born 960), came from 8 countries.

Selected by OriginalUniqueArt.com

Our selection. Artists whose works our catalogue attaches to Early Medieval, in the order of our fame ranking. Artists born after 1955 with no Wikidata identifier stay out until verified. The Wikipedia figure counts our 32 languages with an article on the artist.

  1. Seven and a Half Years Old od Wang Wei1Wang Wei
  2. The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain od Dong Yuan2Dong Yuan
  3. Court ladies preparing newly woven silk od Zhang Xuan3Zhang Xuan

In brief

Early Medieval in brief

  • 17Umjetnici
  • 508–960Godine izdanja
  • 8Zemlje rođenja
  • 0Žene
  • 38Djela u našem katalogu
Gradovi s najviše rođenih
Nanjing (2), Chang'an (2), Yongji (1), Xi'an (1)
Muzeji koji čuvaju najvažnija djela
National Palace Museum (5), The Palace Museum (5), Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art (3), Metropolitan Museum of Art (3)

One artist at a time

17 Early Medieval Slikari and their signature works

1of 17

Wang Wei 699–759

Kina Born in Yongji Pejzažno slikarstvo Wikipedia in 19/32 languages

Wang Wei

Wang Wei (王維), rođen oko 699. godine u okrugu Qixian u provinciji Shanxi, stoji kao monumentalna figura u povijesti umjetnosti dinastije Tang—svjedočanstvo skladnog spoja glazbe, poezije, slikarstva i političkog vodstva. Poštovan ne samo zbog svog umjetničkog stvaralaštva, već i zbog dubokih filozofskih uvjerenja utkanih u Chan budizam, Wang Wei utjelovljuje duh svog doba: intelektualnu znatiželju upojenu s nepokolebljivom posvećenošću ljepoti prirode.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

3of 17

Zhang Xuan 713–755

Kineski Born in Xi'an Slikarstvo dinastije Tang Wikipedia in 10/32 languages

Zhang Xuan

Zhang Xuan (713. – 755.), ključna figura u umjetnosti Dinastije Tang, stoji kao jedan od dva najslavnija slikara svog doba, rame uz Yan Libena. Umjetnički opus Zhang Xuana tijekom Dinastije Tang učvrstio je njegovo mjesto među najslavnijim kineskim slikarima.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

8of 17

Li Cheng 919–967

Chinese Born in Weifang Landscape painting Wikipedia in 11/32 languages

Li Cheng

This monumental painting, now housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, is a testament to his mastery of technique and his ability to evoke a powerful emotional response. The painting depicts a towering pine tree standing alone on a barren mountain peak, shrouded in mist. His loose brushwork, atmospheric effects, and emphasis on capturing the overall mood and atmosphere of the natural world became hallmarks of the “Northern Landscape” style—a dominant trend in Chinese painting during the Song Dynasty.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

12of 17

Li Zhaodao 675–758

Dinastija Tang Born in Qin'an Qinglu Bai Wikipedia in 8/32 languages

Li Zhaodao

Pejzaž Dinastije Tang transformira se pod kistom umjetnika Li Zhaodao. To je esencija stila Qinglu Bai, stila koji definira njegova težina i njegova svjetlost. Kao sin Li Sixuna, slikara i plemićkog mecena, Zhaodao je odrastao u kući u kojoj su tradicije kaligrafije i slikarstva bile primarni jezik.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

13of 17

Han Huang 723–787

Chinese Wikipedia in 5/32 languages

Han Huang

Han Huang was a Chinese economist and politician of the Tang dynasty. Born in 723, he served as a chancellor during the reign of the Emperor Dezong. His career was marked by significant roles, including serving as the prefect of Jin Prefecture, the prefect of Su Prefecture, and the governor of Zhejiang Circuit.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

14of 17

Guan Xiu 832–912

Chinese Born in Lanxi Tang Dynasty Wikipedia in 3/32 languages

Guan Xiu

This tumultuous era witnessed the fragmentation of Tang imperial authority, prompting provincial courts to champion artistic traditions—a circumstance that fostered a miniature Tang court in Chengdu where Guanxiū flourished. Early Life & Education: Born in Lanxi, Zhejiang province, Guanxiū’s formative years were dedicated to monastic studies, shaping his worldview and artistic sensibilities.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

17of 17

Zhao Gan

Chinese Jiangnan style Wikipedia in 3/32 languages

Zhao Gan

His work is characterized by a focus on material details, including: To achieve the appearance of soft, thick snowflakes on silk, the artist used a technique of blowing white pigment through a screen to lightly project it onto the surface. The resulting imagery portrays the harsh conditions of fishermen shivering in their boats or under shelters amidst the falling snow.

Signature works · The 100 signature works

Signature works

Signature Early Medieval works

  1. Seven and a Half Years Old od Wang Wei

    Seven and a Half Years Old

    Wang Wei

    2011 · Song Art Museum, Beijing

  2. The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain od Dong Yuan

    The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain

    Dong Yuan

    950 · National Palace Museum, Taipei

  3. Court ladies preparing newly woven silk od Zhang Xuan

    Court ladies preparing newly woven silk

    Zhang Xuan

    China Modern and Contemporary Art Document Research Center, Beijing

  4. Thirteen Emperors Scroll od Yan Liben

    Thirteen Emperors Scroll

    Yan Liben

    650 · Muzej likovnih umjetnosti, Boston

  5. Guanyin od Wu Daozi

    Guanyin

    Wu Daozi

    1885 · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  6. Untitled od Huang Quan

    Untitled

    Huang Quan

    The Palace Museum, Beijing

  7. In the Palace od Zhou Wenju

    In the Palace

    Zhou Wenju

    1133 · Cleveland Museum of Art

  8. Giant od Li Cheng

    Giant

    Li Cheng

    2019 · Fubon Art Foundation Very Fun Park, Taipei

A timeline

Early Medieval through its signature works

  1. 650
    Thirteen Emperors Scroll od Yan Liben
    Thirteen Emperors ScrollYan Liben
  2. 900
    Mt. K'uang-lu od Jing Hao
    Mt. K'uang-luJing Hao
  3. 960
    The Night Revels of Han Xizai od Gu Hongzhong
    The Night Revels of Han XizaiGu Hongzhong

Figures

The figures

Zemlja rođenja
People's Republic of China7
Han dynasty2
Narodna Republika Kina1
Dinastija Han1
Liang dynasty1
Southern Tang1
Pučinska Republika Kina1
Song dynasty1
Godina i stoljeća rođenja
6th. stoljeće1
7th. stoljeće4
8th. stoljeće2
9th. stoljeće2
10th. stoljeće7
Muzeji u kojima se nalaze njihova ključna djela
National Palace Museum5
The Palace Museum5
Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art3
Metropolitan Museum of Art3
China Modern and Contemporary Art Document Research Center2
Muzej likovnih umjetnosti2
Song Art Museum1
Cleveland Museum of Art1

Every name

List of 17 famous Early Medieval slikarima, every name

  1. 1Wang WeiWang WeiKina · 699–759
  2. 2Dong YuanDong Yuan934–962
  3. 3Zhang XuanZhang XuanKineski · 713–755
  4. 4Yan LibenYan LibenChinese · 600–673
  5. 5Wu DaoziWu DaoziTang dynasty · 680–740
  6. 6Huang QuanHuang Quan903–965
  7. 7Zhou WenjuZhou WenjuChinese · 917–975
  8. 8Li ChengLi ChengChinese · 919–967
  9. 9Jing HaoJing Hao855–915
  10. 10Emperor Yuan of LiangEmperor Yuan of LiangLiang dynasty · 508–555
  11. 11Gu HongzhongGu HongzhongChinese · 937–975
  12. 12Li ZhaodaoLi ZhaodaoDinastija Tang · 675–758
  13. 13Han HuangHan HuangChinese · 723–787
  14. 14Guan XiuGuan XiuChinese · 832–912
  15. 15Zhao ChangZhao ChangChinese · 960–1016
  16. 16Huang JucaiHuang JucaiChinese · 933–993
  17. 17Zhao GanZhao GanChinese ·

Questions

Your questions

  • Which Early Medieval slikar is the most famous?

    First place goes to Wang Wei (#1); Dong Yuan (#2) and Zhang Xuan (#3) complete the podium.

  • Who are the 5 most famous Early Medieval slikarima?

    Wang Wei (#1), Dong Yuan (#2), Zhang Xuan (#3), Yan Liben (#4) i Wu Daozi (#5).

  • Which techniques define Early Medieval art?

    “A master of the Southern Tang dynasty, his life and brushwork emerged during a period of profound cultural flowering in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era.” — from our biography of Dong Yuan (#2).

  • Where were most Early Medieval slikarima born?

    People's Republic of China: 7 of the 17 slikarima in this list were born there, then Han dynasty (2) i Narodna Republika Kina (1).

  • Where are the great works of Early Medieval art today?

    The museums holding the most key works of this list are National Palace Museum (5), The Palace Museum (5) i Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art (3).

  • In which period did Early Medieval art flourish?

    Most slikarima in this list were born in the 10th. stoljeće (7 of 17), between 508 and 960 overall.

  • Who was the first Early Medieval slikar?

    The earliest-born slikar in this list is Emperor Yuan of Liang (#10), born in 508.

  • Which city was home to the most Early Medieval slikarima?

    Nanjing: 2 of the slikarima in this list were born there.

  • Who are the most famous Early Medieval slikarima from People's Republic of China?

    The highest-ranked slikarima born in People's Republic of China are Dong Yuan (#2), Zhou Wenju (#7), Li Cheng (#8), Jing Hao (#9) i Guan Xiu (#14).

  • Where can I see more works by these slikarima?

    Our catalogue holds 38 works by these slikarima.

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