Lu Ji
Ming court bird-and-flower master
Lu Ji(吕纪) (1439–1505), courtesy name Tingzhen(廷振), art name Leyu(乐愚), was from Ningbo, Zhejiang. He was a Ming dynasty court-style bird-and-flower painter and held the official position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard (nominally). His bird-and-flower paintings combined meticulous brushwork with heavy colors and freehand ink techniques. He was a student of Bian Jingzhao and Lin Liang, absorbing techniques from the Tang and Song dynasties. Representative works include 'New Spring with Twin Pheasants,' 'Osmanthus Mountain Birds,' and 'Willow Shade with Twin Ducks.' His use of color was vibrant, often subtly carrying moral messages. During the Chenghua period, he entered the palace as a court painter and held positions such as Baihu (Hundred Household Officer), Vice Qianhu, and Deputy Commander. His subjects often featured auspicious birds like phoenixes and cranes, combining Southern Song court-style landscape techniques to create a palace-style aesthetic. Some of his works were brought to Japan, influencing local folding screen painting. Emperor Xiaozong of Ming once remarked on his paintings as 'skillfully executed to offer advice,' and his court-style meticulous bird-and-flower paintings are seen as a blend of traditional court-style aesthetics and Southern Song court landscape techniques.