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Song Paintings

Type Object Region China Time c. 960–1279

Song ink painting was a peak of Chinese painting, excelling in landscape, bird-and-flower, and figure subjects, with Southern Song developing Ma-Xia …

Timeline

  1. c. 1000–1127Kaifeng and Shanxi · Northern SongGuo Xi's Linquan Gaozhi summarized Northern Song panoramic landscape theory; Fan Kuan, Dong Yuan and others established the two great landscape traditions of northern ruggedness and southern gentleness, and the painting academy system matured.
  2. 1127–1230Lin'an and Qiantang · Southern SongLi Tang pioneered the axe-cut texture stroke and vigorous ink style; Ma Yuan and Xia Gui developed 'one corner' and 'half side' compositions, condensing landscape into a corner of the picture, forming the typical face of Southern Song academy landscape.
  3. 1231–1240Lin'an · Southern SongUnder Lizong the academy recruitment system continued, with academy landscape and bird-and-flower painting alongside Zhe-school literati ink painting; amid frequent northern warfare, painting became an important vehicle for Jiangnan cultural survival and refined court amusement.

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