Early Medieval: original voices
Wang Wei (699–759) is the most famous Early Medieval målare, whose singular vision gave us Seven and a Half Years Old och Winter Landscape. Next stand Dong Yuan, Zhang Xuan, Yan Liben och Wu Daozi. These 17 målare, from Emperor Yuan of Liang (born 508) to Zhao Chang (born 960), came from 7 countries.
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.
In brief
One artist at a time
1of 17
Kinesisk Born in Yongji Landskapsmåleri Wikipedia in 19/32 languages
Wang Wei (王維), född omkring år 699 i Qixian County i Shanxi-provinsen, står som en monumental gestalt inom Tangdynastins konsthistoria —ett levande vittnesbörd om den harmoniska föreningen mellan musik, poesi, måleri och politiskt ledarskap. Wang Wei härstammade från en ädel Han-familj som flyttade österut till Puzhou i provinsen Guangdong i sökandet efter välstånd och stabilitet.
2of 17
Born in Nanjing Wikipedia in 16/32 languages
One of his most celebrated masterpieces, The Xiao and Xiang Rivers, serves as a testament to his compositional brilliance.
3of 17
Kinesisk Born in Chang'an Tang-dynastins måleri Wikipedia in 10/32 languages
Zhang Xuan’s artistic output during the Tang Dynasty cemented his place among China's most celebrated painters. His influence extended beyond individual paintings; he helped shape the aesthetic sensibilities of subsequent generations, fostering a tradition of elegant realism that would define Chinese art for centuries to come. Similarly, "Spring Outing of the Tang Court," meticulously recreated by Li Gonglin, exemplifies Zhang Xuan's masterful command of perspective and color, establishing him as a pioneer in landscape painting.
4of 17
Chinese Born in Chang'an Early Tang Dynasty realism Wikipedia in 13/32 languages
The weight of Yan Liben's contribution is most clearly seen in the surviving fragments of his vision.
5of 17
Tang dynasty Born in Chang'an Realistic techniques and landscape painting Wikipedia in 11/32 languages
His work has been featured in television presentations, such as the 2004-5 production The Presentation of Buddha.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
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Wikipedia in 10/32 languages
Throughout his life, Huang Quan moved through the imperial painting academies of the Former Shu, Later Shu, and Song dynasties.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
7of 17
Chinese Born in Nanjing Tang Dynasty Figure Painting Wikipedia in 7/32 languages
A defining milestone of his career occurred on New Year’s Day in 947, during a grand banquet held by Emperor Yuanzong of Southern Tang.
8of 17
Chinese Born in Weifang Landscape painting Wikipedia in 11/32 languages
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
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Born in Qinshui County Wikipedia in 8/32 languages
This rugged, monumental approach became the standard for the Northern Song period, establishing a lineage of greatness that included his pupil Guan Tong and the legendary Li Cheng.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
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Liang dynasty Wikipedia in 7/32 languages
Emperor Yuan of Liang was not a visual artist; he was a ruler and a scholar. While he was a significant patron and collector of literature, he did not produce paintings or visual works himself.
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Chinese Wikipedia in 8/32 languages
By focusing on the vividness of expression and the weight of personal experience, Gu Hongzhong ensured that the spirit of the Southern Tang court would never be entirely forgotten.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
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Tang-dynastin Born in Qin'an Qinglu Bai Wikipedia in 8/32 languages
I Sichuans höga bergspass känns luften tjock av azuritblått och malakitgrönt. Detta är essensen av Qinglu Bai, en stil definierad av sin tyngd och sitt ljus. Som son till Li Sixun, en målare och adlig beskyddare, växte Zhaodao upp i ett hem där traditionerna kring kalligrafi och måleri var det primära språket.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
13of 17
Chinese Wikipedia in 5/32 languages
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.
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Chinese Born in Lanxi Tang Dynasty Wikipedia in 3/32 languages
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
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Chinese Born in Guanghan Wikipedia in 5/32 languages
Though the specific details of his daily life remain obscured by the centuries, his influence persisted through the Song dynasty.
Signature works · The 100 signature works
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Chinese Born in Chengdu Wikipedia in 4/32 languages
Born around 933, Huang Jucai lived through the shifting landscapes of the Later Shu and Song dynasties.
17of 17
Chinese Jiangnan style Wikipedia in 3/32 languages
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
A timeline
Figures
| People's Republic of China | 7 |
|---|---|
| Folkrepubliken Kina | 2 |
| Han dynasty | 2 |
| Handynastin | 1 |
| Liang dynasty | 1 |
| Southern Tang | 1 |
| Song dynasty | 1 |
| 6th århundradet | 1 |
|---|---|
| 7th århundradet | 4 |
| 8th århundradet | 2 |
| 9th århundradet | 2 |
| 10th århundradet | 7 |
Every name
Wang WeiKinesisk · 699–759Dong Yuan934–962Zhang XuanKinesisk · 713–755Yan LibenChinese · 600–673Wu DaoziTang dynasty · 680–740Huang Quan903–965Zhou WenjuChinese · 917–975Li ChengChinese · 919–967Jing Hao855–915Emperor Yuan of LiangLiang dynasty · 508–555Gu HongzhongChinese · 937–975Li ZhaodaoTang-dynastin · 675–758Han HuangChinese · 723–787Guan XiuChinese · 832–912Zhao ChangChinese · 960–1016Huang JucaiChinese · 933–993Zhao GanChinese · Questions
First place goes to Wang Wei (#1); Dong Yuan (#2) and Zhang Xuan (#3) complete the podium.
Wang Wei (#1), Dong Yuan (#2), Zhang Xuan (#3), Yan Liben (#4) och Wu Daozi (#5).
“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).
People's Republic of China: 7 of the 17 målare in this list were born there, then Folkrepubliken Kina (2) och Han dynasty (2).
The museums holding the most key works of this list are National Palace Museum (5), The Palace Museum (5) och Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art (3).
Most målare in this list were born in the 10th århundradet (7 of 17), between 508 and 960 overall.
The earliest-born målare in this list is Emperor Yuan of Liang (#10), born in 508.
Chang'an: 3 of the målare in this list were born there.
The highest-ranked målare born in People's Republic of China are Dong Yuan (#2), Zhou Wenju (#7), Li Cheng (#8), Jing Hao (#9) och Guan Xiu (#14).
Our catalogue holds 38 works by these målare.
Other movements
Berömda Baroque-konstnärerNattvakten · Rembrandt
Berömda Contemporary Realist-konstnärerSkördeförarna · Jean-François Millet
Berömda Impressionist-konstnärerStjärnkvällen (Nya York, MoMA) · Vincent Van Gogh
Berömda Romanticist-konstnärerSaturn som slukar sin son · Francisco De Goya
Berömda Neoclassicist-konstnärerMarats död · Jacques-Louis David
Berömda Realist-konstnärerUpprinnelsen till världen · Gustave Courbet
Berömda Renaissance-konstnärerMona Lisa (La Gioconda) · Leonardo Da Vinci
Berömda Dutch Golden Age-konstnärerFlickan med pärlörhänget · Jan Vermeer
Berömda Expressionist-konstnärerKomposition VII · Vasilij Kandinskij
Berömda Rococo-konstnärerFärd till Cythera · Antoine WatteauOther periods
Berömda High Medieval-konstnärerMadonna in Maest (Ognissanti Madonna) · Giotto Di Bondone
Berömda Late Medieval-konstnärerBebådelsen och två helgon · Simone Martini
Berömda Renaissance-konstnärerAdams skapelse · Michelangelo
Berömda Early Modern-konstnärerKallelsen av Matteus · Caravaggio
Berömda 19th Century-konstnärerVattenliljor (eller Nympheas) · Claude Monet
Berömda Modern-konstnärerGuernica · Pablo Picasso
Berömda Contemporary-konstnärerWind Sculpture III (one in a series of nine) · Yinka ShonibareDiscover more
