Zhao Boxu
Elegant blue-green landscapes with ink techniques
Zhao Boxu(赵伯骕) (1124–1182), courtesy name Xiyuan, was from Yingtian Prefecture (now Shangqiu, Henan). After moving south, he lived in Lin’an (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He was a seventh-generation descendant of Song Taizu, a painter of the Southern Song dynasty, a member of the Song imperial family, and the younger brother of Zhao Boju(赵伯驹). He served as the Defender of Hezhou. Both he and his brother were skilled in colorful landscape painting. Besides landscapes and figures, he was also good at painting flowers and birds, as well as architectural scenes. When Zhao Boxu was young, he served Emperor Gaozong at the Kang residence, accompanying him with art and literary talents. He also once served as a deputy envoy to the Jin dynasty. His blue-and-green landscapes were based on the Tang dynasty’s Da Qinglu style but incorporated ink techniques from Dong Yuan, Ju Ran, and the Mi family, forming a clear and elegant style. He believed that a painter should have a sense of structure and principles in mind to give their work a lively spirit and graceful charm. His surviving works include "Ten Thousand Pines and the Golden Palace," "Returning From a Hunting Trip," and "White Snow on Immortal Peaks." A page from "Pair of Ducks" was once exhibited at the Liaoning Provincial Museum.