zhu ruoji
zhu ruoji, also known as shitao, was a chinese buddhist monk, calligrapher, and landscape painter who lived during the early qing dynasty. born in 1642 in quanzhou county, guangxi province, zhu ruoji was a member of the royal house descended from the elder brother of zhu yuanzhang. he narrowly avoided catastrophe in 1644 when the ming dynasty fell to invading manchus and civil rebellion. early life and career having escaped by chance f…
The Lifeline
Scroll through zhu ruoji's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups zhu ruoji's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.
