Guan Tong (painter)
Encyclopedia
Guan Tong, 關仝, (c. 906-960), was a Chinese landscape painter of the Northern Landscape style
during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
and early Song dynasty
, a pupil of Jing Hao
, and known as a critical figure in the development of the era's monumental landscape painting. His depictions achieve a believable and compelling portrayal of landscape, an achievement that typifies the tenth century artists drive in the portrayal of nature. The popularity of landscape is spoken to by the great popularity his distinctive style achieved.
Autumn Mountain Shadow is one of the paintings attributed to Guan Tong, event hough there are several works attributed to him there are no extant works bearing his signature. In this picture a barely visible steep path climbs through the rugged mountains. It appears to be the visual equivalent of poems describing hard journeys such as Li Bai's
The Road to Shu is Hard (Shudao nan). his works focus as well on the representation of the cyclical seasons of nature; a concept central to Chinese medicine and many schools of Chinese philosophy.
Guan Tong favored the use of 'axe chopped' brush strokes, Fu Pi Cun, to depict the angular rocky forms of the northern mountains. His strong peaks and densely compacted composition represents the northern tradition in its most likely form as scholars understand it today. His works along with certain pieces by Jing Hao are advanced and impressive pieces, they are not works that should be counted as inferior or preliminary to the mature landscape art of the Song.
Twentieth century artist Chang Dai-chien forged a painting which was successfully passed off as an original by Guan Tong; the painting was purchased by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
in 1957 and was assumed, at the time, to be a work by Guan Tong. The painting is considered one of Chang's most ambitious and audacious forgeries.
Northern Landscape style
The Northern Landscape style was a manner of chinese landscape painting centered around a loose group of artists who worked and lived in Northern China during the Five Dynasties period that occupied the time between the collapse of the Tang dynasty and the rise of the Song Dynasty.This style, in...
during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
and early Song dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, a pupil of Jing Hao
Jing Hao
Jing Hao was a Chinese landscape painter and theorist of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in Northern China. As an artist, he is often cited along with his pupil, Guan Tong, as one of the most critical figures in the development of the style of monumental landscape painting which...
, and known as a critical figure in the development of the era's monumental landscape painting. His depictions achieve a believable and compelling portrayal of landscape, an achievement that typifies the tenth century artists drive in the portrayal of nature. The popularity of landscape is spoken to by the great popularity his distinctive style achieved.
Autumn Mountain Shadow is one of the paintings attributed to Guan Tong, event hough there are several works attributed to him there are no extant works bearing his signature. In this picture a barely visible steep path climbs through the rugged mountains. It appears to be the visual equivalent of poems describing hard journeys such as Li Bai's
Li Bai
Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...
The Road to Shu is Hard (Shudao nan). his works focus as well on the representation of the cyclical seasons of nature; a concept central to Chinese medicine and many schools of Chinese philosophy.
Guan Tong favored the use of 'axe chopped' brush strokes, Fu Pi Cun, to depict the angular rocky forms of the northern mountains. His strong peaks and densely compacted composition represents the northern tradition in its most likely form as scholars understand it today. His works along with certain pieces by Jing Hao are advanced and impressive pieces, they are not works that should be counted as inferior or preliminary to the mature landscape art of the Song.
Twentieth century artist Chang Dai-chien forged a painting which was successfully passed off as an original by Guan Tong; the painting was purchased by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
in 1957 and was assumed, at the time, to be a work by Guan Tong. The painting is considered one of Chang's most ambitious and audacious forgeries.