New to Early Medieval? Start here
If you remember one Early Medieval painter, make it Wang Wei (699–759), the name behind Seven and a Half Years Old and Winter Landscape. After that come Dong Yuan, Zhang Xuan, Yan Liben and Wu Daozi. Our 17 picks go from Emperor Yuan of Liang (born 508) to Zhao Chang (born 960), from 7 countries.
How we picked them. We list the artists our catalogue links to Early Medieval, from the most famous down. Artists born after 1955 that we cannot yet check on Wikidata are left out. The Wikipedia number shows in how many of our 32 languages Wikipedia writes about them.
Quick facts
Meet them one by one
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Čínsky From Yongji Pejzažná maľba On Wikipedia in 19 of 32 languages
Wang Wei (王維), narodený okolo roku 699 v okrese Qixian v provincii Shanxi, predstavuje monumentálnu postavu v rámci art history dynastie Tang—svedectvo harmonického spojenia hudby, poézie, maľby a politického vodenia. Wang Wei pochádzal z ušľachtilej hančskej rodiny, ktorá sa presunula na východ do provincie Guangdong, do mesta Puzhou, v snahe o prosperitu a stabilitu.
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From Nanjing On Wikipedia in 16 of 32 languages
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. Born in Zhongling, in what is now Jinxian County, Dong Yuan was not merely a painter but an official whose deep engagement with the natural world helped redefine the very essence of Shanshui, or landscape painting.
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Čínsky From Xi'an Maľba dynastie Tang On Wikipedia in 10 of 32 languages
While biographical details remain scarce, scholars believe he received formal training in painting under Yan Liben (顏 ਲੀବեն), a celebrated artist of his time who championed realism and employed innovative techniques—particularly the use of color—to depict scenes from daily life and court rituals.
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Chinese From Chang'an Early Tang Dynasty realism On Wikipedia in 13 of 32 languages
In the early years of the Tang dynasty, a man named Yan Liben moved through the imperial halls of Chang'an with a dual identity that defined his very existence.
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Tang dynasty From Chang'an Realistic techniques and landscape painting On Wikipedia in 11 of 32 languages
Wu Daozi, also known as Daoxuan or Wu Tao Tzu, was a highly influential painter of the Tang dynasty. He initially mastered calligraphy under the guidance of Zhang Xu and He Zhizhang before specializing in the art of painting. Notable works associated with him include: The life of Wu Daozi is surrounded by numerous legends, particularly those involving commissions by Emperor Xuanzong.
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On Wikipedia in 10 of 32 languages
This city, the capital of the Xichuan Circuit, offered a pocket of relative peace under the rule of Wang Jian. At the age of twelve, he entered the studio of Diao Guangyin, a painter who had traveled from the old capital of Chang'an to find safety in the southwest. He studied the delicate water paintings of Sun Wei and the landscape compositions of Li Sheng.
Works to know · Their 100 best-known works
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Chinese From Nanjing Tang Dynasty Figure Painting On Wikipedia in 7 of 32 languages
Among those whose names remain partially veiled in mystery is Chou Wen-chu —also known as Zhou Wenju —a painter who flourished during the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
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Chinese From Weifang Landscape painting On Wikipedia in 11 of 32 languages
Born in Qingzhou, Shandong province during the tumultuous Five Dynasties period (907-967), Li Cheng Liang emerged as a pivotal figure in Chinese landscape painting.
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From Qinshui County On Wikipedia in 8 of 32 languages
Jing Hao, known by his courtesy name Haoran and art name Hongguality, was more than a mere painter; he was a visionary theorist and a master of the monumental. While much of the world around him descended into the chaos of warring factions, Jing Hao sought refuge in the rugged, mist-shrouded heights of the Taihang Mountains in Shanxi province.
Works to know · Their 100 best-known works
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Liang dynasty On Wikipedia in 7 of 32 languages
Emperor Yuan of Liang, also known by his personal name Xiao Yi, was an emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty. Born in 508, he was the seventh son of Emperor Wu. He was a renowned writer and a collector of ancient books, though he was often criticized by historians for prioritizing the elimination of political contenders over military action against the rebel general Hou Jing.
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Chinese On Wikipedia in 8 of 32 languages
In the twilight of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a painter named Gu Hongzhong moved through the courts of the Southern Tang with a keen, observant eye. He lived during an era of shifting borders and fragile peace, serving likely as a court painter under the reign of Emperor Li Yu.
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dynastia Tang From Qin'an Qinglu Bai On Wikipedia in 8 of 32 languages
Krajináry dynastie Tang sa pod štetcom Li Zhaodao menia a transformujú. Toto je podstata štýlu Qinglu Bai, ktorý definuje jeho hmotnosť a svetlo. Ako syn Li Sixun, maliara a šľachtického patrona, vyrastal v domácnosti, kde tradície kaligrafie a maľby boli primárnym jazykom.
Works to know · Their 100 best-known works
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Chinese On Wikipedia in 5 of 32 languages
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.
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Chinese From Lanxi Tang Dynasty On Wikipedia in 3 of 32 languages
Guànxiū (832–912), a Buddhist monk, painter, poet, and calligrapher hailing from Chengdu, China, stands as one of the most celebrated figures of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960). 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.
Works to know · Their 100 best-known works
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Chinese From Guanghan On Wikipedia in 5 of 32 languages
Born in Guanghan, Zhao Chang lived through a period of profound cultural shifts in China. His life spanned the transition from the Later Zhou dynasty into the Northern Song dynasty, a time when the aesthetics of the imperial court were being defined. He was a student of the flower-and-bird painter Teng Changyou, learning the delicate balance required to capture life on silk or paper.
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Chinese From Chengdu On Wikipedia in 4 of 32 languages
Born around 933, Huang Jucai lived through the shifting landscapes of the Later Shu and Song dynasties. He was the fourth son of the painter Huang Quan, growing up in a household where the language of ink and brush was the primary way of understanding the world. This lineage provided him with a foundation of skill that he would carry into his own prolific career.
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Chinese Jiangnan style On Wikipedia in 3 of 32 languages
Zhao Gan was a Chinese painter active during the second half of the tenth century, originating from Nanjing. As a member of the painting academy at the court of the last emperor of the Southern Tang, Li Houzhu, he served as a student at the Imperial Painting Academy.
Pictures worth knowing
When it happened
Fun figures
| People's Republic of China | 7 |
|---|---|
| Čína | 2 |
| Han dynasty | 2 |
| Liang dynasty | 1 |
| Southern Tang | 1 |
| Čínska ľudová republika | 1 |
| Song dynasty | 1 |
| 6th century | 1 |
|---|---|
| 7th century | 4 |
| 8th century | 2 |
| 9th century | 2 |
| 10th century | 7 |
Just the names
Wang WeiČínsky · 699–759Dong Yuan934–962Zhang XuanČínsky · 713–755Yan LibenChinese · 600–673Wu DaoziTang dynasty · 680–740Huang Quan903–965Zhou WenjuChinese · 917–975Li ChengChinese · 919–967Jing Hao855–915Emperor Yuan of LiangLiang dynasty · 508–555Gu HongzhongChinese · 937–975Li Zhaodaodynastia Tang · 675–758Han HuangChinese · 723–787Guan XiuChinese · 832–912Zhao ChangChinese · 960–1016Huang JucaiChinese · 933–993Zhao GanChinese · Good questions
Wang Wei (#1) is first in this ranking, followed by Dong Yuan (#2) and Zhang Xuan (#3).
Wang Wei (#1), Dong Yuan (#2), Zhang Xuan (#3), Yan Liben (#4) and Wu Daozi (#5).
The museums holding the most key works of this list are Národné palácové múzeum v Taipei (5), The Palace Museum (5) and Metropolitné múzeum umenia (4).
Most painters in this list were born in the 10th century (7 of 17), between 508 and 960 overall.
Nanjing: 2 of the painters in this list were born there.
The earliest-born painter in this list is Emperor Yuan of Liang (#10), born in 508.
The highest-ranked painters born in People's Republic of China are Dong Yuan (#2), Zhou Wenju (#7), Li Cheng (#8), Jing Hao (#9) and Guan Xiu (#14).
People's Republic of China: 7 of the 17 painters in this list were born there, then Čína (2) and Han dynasty (2).
“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).
Our catalogue holds 38 works by these painters. Each one can be ordered as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print.
Read more
Other styles
Famous Baroque artistsNočná hliadka · Rembrandt
Famous Contemporary Realist artistsZberičky · Jean-François Millet
Famous Impressionist artistsHviezdičná noc (New York, MoMA) · Vincent Van Gogh
Famous Romanticist artistsSaturn požierajúci svojho syna · Francisco Goya
Famous Neoclassicist artistsSmrť Marata · Jacques-Louis David
Famous Realist artistsPôvod sveta · Gustave Courbet
Famous Renaissance artistsMona Lisa (La Gioconda) · Leonardo Da Vinci
Famous Dutch Golden Age artistsJohannes Vermeer · Jan Vermeer
Famous Expressionist artistsKompozícia VII · Vasilij Kandinskij
Famous Rococo artistsOdplavenie na Cytheru · Antoine WatteauOther eras
Famous High Medieval artistsMadonna v Majestáte (Ognissanti Madonna) · Giotto Di Bondone
Famous Late Medieval artistsVozznosť a dvaja svätí · Simone Martini
Famous Renaissance artistsStvorenie Adama · Michelangelo Buonarroti
Famous Early Modern artistsVolanie svätého Matúša · Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Famous 19th Century artistsVodné ľalie (alebo Lekienky) · Claude Monet
Famous Modern artistsGuernica · Pablo Picasso
Famous Contemporary artistsWind Sculpture III (one in a series of nine) · Yinka ShonibareKeep exploring
