Sheng Mao
Refined Yuan professional painter
Sheng Mao(盛懋), styled Zizhao(子昭), was from Lin’an (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang) and lived in Weitang, Jiaxing. He was a painter during the Yuan Dynasty. Surviving works suggest his artistic activity was roughly between the 2nd year of Emperor Ren’s reign (1313) and the 22nd year of Emperor Shun’s Zhizheng period (1362). Sheng Mao came from a family of painters; his father, Sheng Hong, was skilled in painting, and Mao inherited the family tradition. In his early years, he received guidance from the painter Chen Lin, who had studied under Zhao Mengfu. Sheng Mao later also studied Zhao Mengfu’s painting techniques. His style was close to that of Dong Yuan and Zhao Mengfu, often using hemp-fiber or rope-like strokes for rocks, with refined brushwork and bright colors. Overall, his works belong to the Dongju school. Sheng Mao excelled at painting figures, landscapes, and flowers and birds. As a professional painter, his works were quite popular at the time, with many clients requesting his paintings. He lived near Wu Zhen, one of the Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty, and their styles and life circumstances were often compared by later generations. Sheng Mao also interacted and collaborated with literati painters like Ni Zan and Zhao Yong. Some of his representative works include the scrolls "Autumn Forest Scholar," "Waiting to Cross the Autumn River" (1351), "Playing the Flute Across the Vast River," "Clear Summer in Mountains and Streams," "Pine and Rock," "Spring Pond Birds Enjoying," "Visiting a Friend in Spring Mountains," "Clear Whistle by the Autumn Boat," and "Li Er Teaching Scriptures."