Painting in National Palace Museum, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) part1

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of Qing dynasty paintings! These works were created by some of the most influential painters in Chinese history, including Shen Zhenlin, Yun Shouping, Wang Hui, Wang Shih-min, Wu Li and Wang Yuan-ch'i. The collection includes Cats and Butterflies of Longevity, Activities of the Twelve Lunar Months: The Twelfth Month, The Five Purities, Summer Mountains and Misty Rain, After Wang Wei's "Snow Over Rivers and Mountains", The Peach Blossom Fishing Boat, Peonies, Green Mountains and White Clouds, After Wang Meng's "Mountain Dwelling on a Summer Day" and Along the River During the Ch'ing-ming Festival. Come explore these incredible pieces of art today!

1. Cats and Butterflies of Longevity

Shen Zhenlin was a painter who served in the Qing court painting academy during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns.

2. Activities of the Twelve Lunar Months: The Twelfth Month

This is one of a set of twelve paintings that is undated, but evidence suggests it was created during the early Qianlong reign (1736-1795). This scroll, which depicts a landscape with snow and frozen waters, is believed to have been painted during the twelfth lunar month.

3. The Five Purities

Yun Shouping was a painter who was born in Wujin, Jiangsu. He was originally good at landscape painting, but he felt like he couldn't compete with Wang Hui, who was one of the Four Wangs who specialized in landscapes.

4. Summer Mountains and Misty Rain

Wang Hui was one of the "Four Wangs" of the early Qing dynasty. He was an excellent painter and received instruction from two of the other Four Wangs, Wang Jian and Wang Shimin.

5. After Wang Wei's "Snow Over Rivers and Mountains"

Wang Shih-min was the grandson of Wang Hsi-chueh, prime minister in the late Ming dynasty. Wang Heng, Wang Shih-min's father, served as a Hanlin Academy editor for the court.

6. The Peach Blossom Fishing Boat

Wang Hui was a native of Ch'ang-shu in Kiangsu who studied landscape painting as a youth under Wang Shih-min (1592-1680) and Wang Chien (1598-1677).

7. Peonies

Yun Shou-p'ing was a native of Wu-chin who grew up in a family of limited means. He excelled at landscape painting, especially in the manners of the ancients. Yun thereupon abandoned landscapes and studied flower painting, bamboo in monochrome ink, animals, and insects.

8. Green Mountains and White Clouds

Wu Li was a native of Ch'ang-shu, Kiangsu. He and Wang Hui were both students of Wang Chien and Wang Shih-min.

9. After Wang Meng's "Mountain Dwelling on a Summer Day"

Wang Yuan-ch'i was a native of T'ai-ts'ang, Kiangsu. He received his "chin-shih" civil service degree in 1670 and served in a number of posts.

10. Along the River During the Ch'ing-ming Festival