Wang Meng (artist)

Wang Meng (王蒙, Wáng Méng) (c. 1308 – 1385) Chinese painter during the Yuan dynasty. He was born in Huzhou (湖州), now known as Wuxing (吴兴), Zhejiang.

"Zi": Shūmíng 叔明
"Hao": Xiāngguāng Jūshì 香光居士

Wang Meng is considered to be one of the four great masters of the Yuan Dynasty, along with Huang Gongwang, Wu Zhen, and Ni Zan. They famously refused to serve the Mongolian rulers of their country. Works on silk by them are virtually unknown, an indication of the importance they gave to the calligraphic touch of the brush on paper. They exclusively painted landscapes, which they believed to be the visible key to the invisible reality. They restricted their acquaintenceship to each other, and like-minded "wen ren" (gentleman-scholars). [Lee, Pages 460-463]

Wang Meng was the youngest of the group, and the least famous in his own time. Nevertheless, his style greatly influenced later Chinese Painting. In contrast to the relatively spare style of his compatriots, his ropy brushstrokes piled one on the other to produce masses of texture combined in dense and involved patterns. [Lee, Pages 466-467]

Many artists copied the works of Wáng Méng centuries after his death, most notably Dong Qichang. [Lee, Page 467]

His most famous works are "Forest Grotto at Juqu" and "Dwelling in the Qingbian Mountains". [Lee Page 467]

Footnotes

References

*Lee, Sherman E. (1994), "A History of Far Eastern Art, (5th ed.)", Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York, NY