Many famous scholars played the qin. Some, such as Wang Wei, though best known as poets, were also painters. The skills of these artists are generally not known -- in fact some perhaps rarely or never played. However, given the connection between qin and art, it is interesting to further examine those artists who seem to have had a particular connection to the qin.

This issue has not been a focus of my work, so at present names will be added here as I encounter them, rather than as a result of specific searches for such artists. Of course, suggestions will be appreciated. The focus is finding evidence of artists who played the qin, though at present there is also reference to an artist significant for the number of his paintings that depict qin, Qiu Ying.

Relevant artists include:

1. 文徵明 Wen Zhengming (1470 - 1559)
   Wen Zhengming was one of the Four Gentlemen of Wu, four friends (including Tang Yin) who were poet-painters in Suzhou. A qin apparently from his household was later owned by the female Suzhou poet Xian Xian. Wen's painting Qin Player Among Plantain and Rocks is discussed in the article by James Watt. He had homes named 停雲館 Tingyun Guan and 梅華屋 Meihua Wu. See Giles, ICTCL, p.759, etc.
2. 唐寅 Tang Yin (1470-1523)
   At least one painting by Tang, entitled Bamboo and Bushes, has a colophon in which he says he 鳴琴 plays the qin himself. At least one of Tang's paintings depicts a qin player (see discussion by Watt).

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. This page added 2007. Not yet developed: suggestions welcomed. (Return)

Return to Art with Qins. or to the Guqin ToC