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          Early Medieval painters, ranked

          The 17 Most Famous Early Medieval Painters

          The most famous Early Medieval painter is Wang Wei (699–759), known for Seven and a Half Years Old and Three and a Half Years Old. Next come Dong Yuan, Чанг Сюан, Yan Liben and Wu Daozi. This ranking of the 17 most famous Early Medieval painters runs from Emperor Yuan of Liang (born 508) to Zhao Chang (born 960), across 7 countries.

          By the WahooArt.com curators

          How this list is ranked. Artists whose works our catalogue files under Early Medieval, in the order of our fame ranking of artists. Artists without a Wikidata identifier born after 1955 are left out until verified. The Wikipedia figure next to each name is the number of our 32 languages in which Wikipedia has an article on the artist.

          1. Seven and a Half Years Old by Wang Wei1Wang Wei
          2. The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain by Dong Yuan2Dong Yuan
          3. Woman on a Horse by Чанг Сюан3Чанг Сюан

          The essentials

          Early Medieval at a glance

          • 17Artists
          • 508–960Years of birth
          • 7Countries of birth
          • 0Women
          • 38Works in our catalogue
          Cities with most births
          Nanjing (2), Chang'an (2), Yongji (1), Сиан (1)
          Museums holding the most key works
          The Palace Museum (6), Национален дворец музей (5), Метрополитън Музей на изкуствата (4), China Modern and Contemporary Art Document Research Center (2)

          Ranked, with their masterpieces

          The ranking: 17 Early Medieval Painters and their key works

          1of 17

          Wang Wei 699–759

          Chinese Born in Yongji Landscape Painting Wikipedia in 19/32 languages

          Wang Wei

          Recognizing his potential, Wang’s father ensured he received a comprehensive education, preparing him for the grueling civil service examinations – a path pursued by nearly all aspiring officials during the Tang Dynasty. His brother Wang Jin, recognizing Wang Wei’s brilliance, actively championed his ambitions, securing him a place at court where he quickly gained renown for his musical prowess. In his final years, Wang Wei embraced Chan Buddhism wholeheartedly, dedicating himself to monastic life and pursuing enlightenment.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          2of 17

          Dong Yuan 934–962

          Born in Nanjing Wikipedia in 16/32 languages

          Dong Yuan

          One of his most celebrated masterpieces, The Xiao and Xiang Rivers, serves as a testament to his compositional brilliance.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          3of 17

          Чанг Сюан 713–755

          Китайска Born in Сиан Живопис от династия Танг Wikipedia in 10/32 languages

          Чанг Сюан

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          4of 17

          Yan Liben 600–673

          Chinese Born in Chang'an Early Tang Dynasty realism Wikipedia in 13/32 languages

          Yan Liben

          The Thirteen Emperors Scroll remains a profound piece of history, containing portraits that span from the Han dynasty to the Sui dynasty.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          7of 17

          Zhou Wenju 917–975

          Chinese Born in Nanjing Tang Dynasty Figure Painting Wikipedia in 7/32 languages

          Zhou Wenju

          Courtly Excellence: His role within the Southern Tang painting academy helped maintain high standards of artistic production during the Five Dynasties period.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          8of 17

          Li Cheng 919–967

          Chinese Born in Weifang Landscape painting Wikipedia in 11/32 languages

          Li Cheng

          Li Cheng's most celebrated work, “Giant” (Zhong Tu), exemplifies his artistic innovations. The painting depicts a towering pine tree standing alone on a barren mountain peak, shrouded in mist. Artists such as Guo Xi, Fan Sang, and Dong Yuan all drew inspiration from Li Cheng’s work, further disseminating his artistic innovations throughout the art community.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          13of 17

          Han Huang 723–787

          Chinese Wikipedia in 5/32 languages

          Han Huang

          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.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          14of 17

          Guan Xiu 832–912

          Chinese Born in Lanxi Tang Dynasty Wikipedia in 3/32 languages

          Guan Xiu

          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.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          17of 17

          Zhao Gan

          Chinese Jiangnan style Wikipedia in 3/32 languages

          Zhao Gan

          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 composition is marked by a delicate execution with few heavy outlines, reflecting the stylistic qualities of the Jiangnan landscape.

          Key works · The 100 most famous works

          The paintings behind the names

          Famous Early Medieval works and the artists who made them

          1. Seven and a Half Years Old by Wang Wei

            Seven and a Half Years Old

            Wang Wei

            2011 · Song Art Museum, Пекин

          2. The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain by Dong Yuan

            The Immortal Paradise Building in the Mountain

            Dong Yuan

            950 · Национален дворец музей, Taipei

          3. Woman on a Horse by Чанг Сюан

            Woman on a Horse

            Чанг Сюан

            Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, Провиденциас

          4. Thirteen Emperors Scroll by Yan Liben

            Thirteen Emperors Scroll

            Yan Liben

            650 · Музей на изкуствата във Бостън

          5. Guanyin by Wu Daozi

            Guanyin

            Wu Daozi

            1885 · Метрополитън Музей на изкуствата, Ню Йорк

          6. Untitled by Huang Quan

            Untitled

            Huang Quan

            The Palace Museum, Beijing

          7. In the Palace by Zhou Wenju

            In the Palace

            Zhou Wenju

            1133 · Кливландски музей на изкуството

          8. Giant by Li Cheng

            Giant

            Li Cheng

            2019 · Fubon Art Foundation Very Fun Park, Taipei

          Through time

          A Early Medieval timeline in masterpieces

          1. 650
            Thirteen Emperors Scroll by Yan Liben
            Thirteen Emperors ScrollYan Liben
          2. 900
            Mt. K'uang-lu by Jing Hao
            Mt. K'uang-luJing Hao
          3. 960
            The Night Revels of Han Xizai by Gu Hongzhong
            The Night Revels of Han XizaiGu Hongzhong

          In figures

          By the numbers

          Country of birth
          People's Republic of China8
          Han dynasty2
          Хан1
          Liang dynasty1
          Southern Tang1
          Народна република Китай1
          Song dynasty1
          Century of birth
          6th century1
          7th century4
          8th century2
          9th century2
          10th century7
          Museums holding their key works
          The Palace Museum6
          Национален дворец музей5
          Метрополитън Музей на изкуствата4
          China Modern and Contemporary Art Document Research Center2
          Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art2
          Музей на изкуствата във Бостън2
          Song Art Museum1
          Кливландски музей на изкуството1

          All of them, in order

          List of the 17 famous Early Medieval painters

          1. 1Wang WeiWang WeiChinese · 699–759
          2. 2Dong YuanDong Yuan934–962
          3. 3Чанг СюанЧанг СюанКитайска · 713–755
          4. 4Yan LibenYan LibenChinese · 600–673
          5. 5Wu DaoziWu DaoziTang dynasty · 680–740
          6. 6Huang QuanHuang Quan903–965
          7. 7Zhou WenjuZhou WenjuChinese · 917–975
          8. 8Li ChengLi ChengChinese · 919–967
          9. 9Jing HaoJing Hao855–915
          10. 10Emperor Yuan of LiangEmperor Yuan of LiangLiang dynasty · 508–555
          11. 11Gu HongzhongGu HongzhongChinese · 937–975
          12. 12Ли ЖаодаоЛи ЖаодаоДинастия Танг · 675–758
          13. 13Han HuangHan HuangChinese · 723–787
          14. 14Guan XiuGuan XiuChinese · 832–912
          15. 15Zhao ChangZhao ChangChinese · 960–1016
          16. 16Huang JucaiHuang JucaiChinese · 933–993
          17. 17Zhao GanZhao GanChinese ·

          Your questions, answered

          Frequently asked questions

          • Which Early Medieval painter is the most famous?

            First place goes to Wang Wei (#1); Dong Yuan (#2) and Чанг Сюан (#3) complete the podium.

          • Which five Early Medieval painters should everyone know?

            Wang Wei (#1), Dong Yuan (#2), Чанг Сюан (#3), Yan Liben (#4) and Wu Daozi (#5).

          • In which city were most Early Medieval painters born?

            Nanjing: 2 of the painters in this list were born there.

          • Who are the most famous Early Medieval painters from People's Republic of China?

            The highest-ranked painters born in People's Republic of China are Wang Wei (#1), Dong Yuan (#2), Zhou Wenju (#7), Li Cheng (#8) and Jing Hao (#9).

          • What techniques did Early Medieval painters use?

            “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).

          • Who was the earliest Early Medieval painter?

            The earliest-born painter in this list is Emperor Yuan of Liang (#10), born in 508.

          • Where were most Early Medieval painters born?

            People's Republic of China: 8 of the 17 painters in this list were born there, then Han dynasty (2) and Хан (1).

          • When did the famous Early Medieval painters live?

            Most painters in this list were born in the 10th century (7 of 17), between 508 and 960 overall.

          • Which museums hold the most Early Medieval art?

            The museums holding the most key works of this list are The Palace Museum (6), Национален дворец музей (5) and Метрополитън Музей на изкуствата (4).

          • Where can I buy Early Medieval art?

            Our catalogue holds 38 works by these painters. Each one can be ordered as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print.

          Keep reading

          Further reading on WahooArt.com

          10 Iconic Masterpieces That Defined the Early Medieval EraSacred Symbols & Golden Light: A Journey Through the Divine Artistry of the Early Medieval Era

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