This work roughly
divides Wang Yuanqi's art
into three main periods.
Firstly, the period before
1670 when he remained
chiefly in his hometown,
Taicang, where, under
direct supervision of his
grandfather Wang Shimin,
he received strict training
as a literati painter from
his early years.
Subsequently, the period
from the early 1670s to the
late 1690s constituted the
long formative stage of
Wang Yuanqi's personal
art. His paintings from this
stage are still heavily
modeled on works by old
masters, but at the same
time, it is clear that he
slowly formulated a new
approach to composition
and brushwork in
landscape painting. From
the late 1690s to 1715, in
the wake of his enhanced
status at court, Yuanqi's
art gradually reached its
maturity, and new
elements and techniques
become evident in his
work. This third period also
saw the gradual
establishment and
consolidation of his
authority over most artistic
creation and criticism in
the world of art.
目录
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Chapter One
Jiangnan: Cradle of Orthodox Painting
Chapter Two
Low-Ranking Official, Highly-Respected Artist: Wang Yuanqi's
Life from 1670 to 1699
Chapter Three
Wang Yuanqi's Art after 1700 (I): Resonance of the Past
Chapter Four
Wang Yuanqi's Art after 1700 (II): The Heyday of Orthodox
Painting
Epilogue
Bibliography
