Wáng Jiàn 王鑑

Chinese, 1598–1677

BiographyWang Jian (Wang Chien; Wáng Jiàn 王鉴 / 王鑑; courtesy name Xuánzhào 玄照; sobriquet Xiāngbì 碧湘碧 and Rǎnxiāng’ānzhǔ 染香庵主; ca. 1598–1677) was born into one of the most prominent families in Taicang, Jiangsu province. He grew up in a privileged, highly cultured environment. His great-grandfather, Wáng Shìzhēn 王世貞(1526—1590) was a distinguished literati as well as a key official during the Wanli period (1573–1620) of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Wáng Jiàn showed talents for painting at a very young age. After passing the second-level civil service examinations in 1633, he was appointed to a government position in Beijing in recognition of the distinguished service rendered by his great-grandfather. Later he continued to serve for the government as the prefect of Lianzhou in Guangdong Province until 1641, at which time he retired to his family's estate in Taicang and devoted himself to literary and artistic endeavors. In 1636, Wáng made a visit to the prominent painter and calligrapher Dǒng Qíchāng 董其昌(1555–1636) in Yunjian 雲間 (now Songjiang, Shanghai). Though studying painting under Dǒng for only a short period of time before Dǒng’s death, Wáng Jiàn was strongly influenced by Dǒng’s painting theories and became one of the most influential painters and theorists of the Orthodox school of literati painting in the late seventeenth century. Following Dǒng’s ideas of taking ancient styles as models, Wáng was renowned for his ability to create poetic imagery out of his imagination as well as re-creation of the brushworks of ancient masters, especially Dǒng Yuán 董源 (ca. 934–962) and Jù Rán 巨然 (fl. 10th century). During his visit to Yushan 虞山 in 1651, he met Wáng Huī 王翬 (1632–1717) who then studied under him and became an eminent painter as well. Together with Wáng Shímǐn 王時敏 (1592-1680), Wáng Huī, and Wáng Yuánqí 王原祁(1642–1715), Wáng Jiàn is considered one of the "Four Wangs" who were the anchors of the Orthodox school during the first sixty years of Qing rule. He was also a member of the famous “Nine Friends of Painting”.

References:

Rogers, Howard. Masterworks of Ming and Qing Painting from the Forbidden City. Exh. cat., International Arts Council, Lansdale, Penn., 1988, p. 157.

Yu Jianhua. Zhongguo meishujia renming cidian. Shanghai, 1981.

Zhao, Erxun. Qing Shi Gao / Juan 504. Wikisource. n.p., n.d. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%B8%85%E5%8F%B2%E7%A8%BF/%E5%8D%B7504.

Zheng, Wei. “Wang Jian Nian Pu.” Duo Yun 22 (1989): 92–115.