Shen Chou

ming-Shen Zhou-沈周 Shen Zhou (1427-1509) was an outstanding painter in the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Qinan, and his pseudonyms were Shitian, Baishiweng, Yutiansheng, and Youjuzhujuzhuzhu. He was born in Changzhou (now Suzhou, Jiangsu). He was kind-hearted, knowledgeable, and good at literature. He was also good at poetry and painting. He was good at painting landscapes, flowers, birds, beasts, insects, and fish, all of which were extremely wonderful. He often embellished his paintings with a few strokes, which was very interesting. He also often wrote poems on his paintings. People at that time called him "Mr. Erjue". He followed Huang Daji and Wu Zhen in painting and had his own style. He was also good at painting flowers and birds with ink, and was known as the "Wu School" together with his student Wen Zhengming. He was also known as the "Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty" together with Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin, and Qiu Ying. Every time he painted a picture, he would touch the moss with his brush, and he would never do it in a perfunctory way. He was able to imitate the ancients in many aspects, and added his own creations, and also incorporated the…