Gong Xian

He enjoyed equal popularity with the poet and calligrapher Lu Qian in the early Qing Dynasty. They were called "Two Ban of the World" (天下二半), (Gong Xian: Banqian; Lu Qian, Banyin).

Training under Dong Qichang is recorded. The recorded working language is Chinese. The field of work recorded is shan shui. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are landscape and Eight Masters of Nanjing. Dong Yuan, Fan Kuan and Wu Zhen are recorded as an influence. Places of work recorded in the authority are Nanjing. Work by Gong Xian is recorded in the collections of Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery and Cleveland Museum of Art.

Primarily a landscape painter, mountains were the subject of most of Gong Xian's paintings. Willows are also a common theme in his work. Gong Xian was a scholar loyal to the fallen Ming Dynasty. In the early years, he participated in the reunification activities. During the war in the late Ming Dynasty, he was forced to flee to save his life and drifted away. He spent many years at Yangzhou in exile, during which he continued to author anti-Qing works, and develop his characteristic "light Gong" and "dark Gong" styles. Gong Xian was also one of the literati and known for his work with prose and poetry. It was only after the fall of Nanjing to the Qing that he took up professional painting as his primary means of making a living. However, despite painting several great pieces over his life, he ultimately died as he lived, in poverty.

• Illustration — Landscapes and trees • Illustration — Landscapes and trees

• Landscapes and trees • Landscapes of the Twelve Months • Dwelling among Mountains and Clouds • Landscapes with Poems • Landscapes with Poems

• Plane • Drinking in Xu's Garden • Swallows to go east

• Caoxiangtang Collection • Painting Technique • Chai Zhangren's Draft • Gong Banqian's Paintings • Poetry Meeting • Banmu Garden Poetry Grass • Banmu Garden Pond • Midnight Tang Shi Ji