Wang Fu
Master of ink bamboo and landscapes
Wang Fu (王绂) (1362–1416), also known as “芾” or sometimes as “黻”, styled Mengduan, later went by his style name, and nicknamed You Shisheng and Jiulongshanren, was an early Ming dynasty painter from Wuxi, Jiangsu. From a young age, Wang Fu was smart and curious, with a wide-ranging knowledge. During the Hongwu period, he got into some trouble and was sent to serve in Shuozhou. In 1400, he returned home and lived a quiet life on Jiulong Mountain. At the start of the Yongle period, he used his calligraphy skills to work at Wen Yuan Pavilion and helped compile the Yongle Encyclopedia. Later, he worked as a Zhongshu Sheren. In the eleventh and twelfth years of Yongle, he went on two northern tours with Emperor Yongle, during which he created the 'Eight Views of Yanjing.' He passed away in Beijing in 1416. Wang Fu was known for his noble and unique personality. He was talented in poetry and prose, and his 'Collected Poems of Wang Sheren' has survived to this day. He was great at painting landscapes and ink bamboo. His landscape paintings were either elaborate, influenced by Wang Meng and Wu Zhen, or simple, inspired by Huang Gongwang and Ni Zan. He excelled at painting dry trees, bamboo, and rocks. His ink bamboo paintings were especially influenced by Wen Tong, featuring flexible yet steady brushwork with calligraphy-like qualities. He was highly regarded for his ink bamboo art.