Zhang Gui
Jin court painter, precise realistic style
Zhang Gui(张珪), from Weizhou (now Weihei), lived during the Zhenglong period of the Jin Dynasty (1156-1161). He was a court painter, and his works are signed 'Sui Jia Zhang Gui,' indicating he served the Jin emperor. He excelled in figure painting, portraying characters with proper features and crisp folds in the clothing. His brushwork drew from the technique of 'zhanche,' making his figures especially lively. He was also good at painting flowers and birds. The only surviving piece of his work, 'Divine Turtle Painting,' is now in the Palace Museum in Beijing. It’s painted on silk with colors, measuring 26.5 cm in height and 55.3 cm in width. The painting depicts a yellow-throated turtle with its head raised, spouting clouds that hold the sun. Hidden within the clouds, there’s a red sun with the character 'qi' inside. The background features riverbanks and sand dunes. Scholars mainly debate whether the character in the sun represents the word 'longevity' or a Taoist talisman. The turtle’s shell and the algae are drawn with fine lines, and the depiction is precise and realistic. This painting was made by Zhang Gui for Wanyan Liang, the Prince of Hailing during the Jin Dynasty, and it’s one of the very rare surviving Jin Dynasty paintings. The work has collector seals like 'Kui Zhang' and 'Xiang Zijin Collection,' with a commentary from the 21st year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty, and it was recorded in the Qing imperial catalog 'Shiqu Baoji, Initial Compilation.' From the collector seals, it’s believed the painting might have entered the imperial collection in the Yuan Dynasty, later owned by Xiang Yuanbian in the Ming Dynasty before finally entering the Qing imperial collection. This painting proves how Jin Dynasty court painting carried on the realistic techniques of the Northern Song.