| This dissertation examines the art and life of the Ming scholar-artist Shen Zhou (1427-1509), who has been credited with creating a vigorous new literati painting style and founding the so-called Wumen School of Painting. There are many works attributed to Shen Zhou that are now in public and private collections worldwide, probably more than any other Ming artist. His works have been illustrated and discussed in numerous books on Chinese art; however, the art and life of the Ming master still remain obscure due to a lack of discerning scholarship. This dissertation, therefore, attempts to present a fresh picture of Shen Zhou's artistic creation, and to enrich our understanding of the cultural and religious setting of his art in the intellectual life of the Ming period, especially those related to the Daoist concepts of longevity and immortality.;Divided into four chapters, the first chapter is the life of Shen Zhou and his interest in Daoism. The second chapter discusses the scholarly and artistic tradition of Suzhou that nurtured Shen Zhou's life and work. The third chapter assesses the Daoist immortality tradition and its influence on Ming culture and art. In the fourth chapter a selection of six reliable paintings by the Ming master are reinterpreted to demonstrate his rich employment of Daoist symbolism. The conclusion explores the major role of Daoist thought in Shen Zhou's artistic creation, which offers a source of imaginative themes, an ideal of transcendental spirit, and a religious salvation of human mortality. |
PDF Full Text Request