Liáng Kǎi (梁楷) – A Pioneer of Informal Landscape Painting Liáng Kǎi (梁楷), born around 1140 CE in Shandong Province, China, stands as a singular figure within the artistic landscape of the Southern Song Dynasty. Often referred to as “Madman Liang,” a moniker earned due to his strikingly unconventional painting style—characterized by loose brushstrokes and an almost childlike spontaneity—he nonetheless achieved considerable renown durin…