Xiao Zhao

Chinese

Rugged Song landscapes with ancient pines

Xiao Zhao(萧照) (12th century), courtesy name Dongsheng(东生), from Huoze(濩泽) (now Yangcheng, Shanxi), was a painter of the Southern Song Dynasty. During the Shaoxing period, he was appointed as a judge of merits and served as an imperial painter, even receiving a gold belt. During the Jingkang period, Xiao Zhao met the painter Li Tang in the Taihang Mountains, became his disciple, and followed him south to Lin’an. His paintings of landscapes and figures were very much like Li Tang’s style, and he was especially good at painting unusual pine trees and strange rocks, with a brushwork that felt rugged and ancient. Existing works attributed to him include 'Zhongxing Ruiying Tu' and 'Shanyao Louguan Tu'.