Wen Zhengming 1470-1559

Wen Zhengming was a leading Chinese literati painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming dynasty, widely regarded as one of the Four Masters of the Wu School based in Suzhou. Renowned for his refined landscapes, orchids, and bamboo compositions, he worked in a meticulous yet deeply expressive style that drew on the traditions of Song and Yuan masters. His extraordinarily long and prolific career made him one of the most collected and influential artists in Chinese art history, with works regularly achieving multi-million dollar results at major auction houses.