Zhao Mengfu
Yuan dynasty calligrapher, painter, and scholar.
via Wikipedia: Zhao Mengfu · see source
Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322) lived and worked as a calligrapher, painter, and scholar under the Yuan dynasty. He traced his lineage back to the Song imperial family: his ancestor Zhao Bogui—brother of Emperor Xiaozong—married a woman surnamed Song, who was herself a granddaughter of Emperor Huizong. Zhao Bogui was also a descendant of Emperor Taizu through Taizu’s son Zhao Defang. In 1286, the Censor-in-chief Cheng Jufu recommended Zhao for an audience with Kublai Khan in the Yuan capital of Dadu, but he never received a high-ranking post. Later, the Confucian-minded Yuan Emperor Renzong held his work in high regard, and Zhao gained membership in the Academy of Worthies. His wife, Guan Daosheng, was herself a skilled poet, painter, and calligrapher.
Rather than stick with the refined, delicate brushwork common in his own day, Zhao deliberately revived the rougher style of the eighth century—a shift that many consider revolutionary and the foundation of modern Chinese landscape painting. He was especially well known for his horse paintings. In his landscapes, he avoided the conventional division into foreground, middle ground, and background; instead, he stacked multiple middle grounds at different heights to create depth. This approach gave his paintings a simple, approachable quality that viewers prized.
One of his most famous landscapes, now at the Princeton University Art Museum, is titled “The Mind Landscape of Xie Youyu”—a reference to the nature-loving scholar-official Xie Youyu (280–322). But in 2019, Dutch scholar Lennert Gesterkamp argued that the colophon linking the painting to Xie Youyu is a forgery; he believes Zhao actually meant to honor his own spiritual teacher, the Daoist scholar Du Daojian (1237–1318), who also cherished nature.
Zhao and Guan Daosheng had several sons. Their second son, Zhao Yong, became a noted painter and calligrapher in his own right. Zhao was also the maternal grandfather of the famous painter Wang Meng. Later Ming dynasty literary figures Zhao Yiguang and his son Zhao Jun were related to him as well.
In Huzhou, Zhejiang province, Zhao’s former residence has been restored and opened to the public as a museum since 2012. On Mercury, a crater 167 kilometers in diameter—located at 132.4° west, 87.3° south—was named the Chao Meng-Fu crater in his memory.
- born
- 1254
- died
- 1322
- field
- Calligraphy, painting, scholarship
- nationality
- Chinese (Yuan dynasty)
- known_for
- Revolutionizing landscape painting; paintings of horses; calligraphy
Lore & Background
Zhao Mengfu's rejection of the refined, gentle brushwork of his era in favor of the cruder style of the eighth century is considered to have brought about a revolution that created the modern Chinese landscape painting. He was known for his paintings of horses. His landscapes are organized by layering middle grounds at various heights to create a sense of depth, rather than using a foreground, middle ground, and background pattern, making his paintings appear very simple and approachable. One of his most celebrated landscape paintings, 'The Mind Landscape of Xie Youyu' (幼輿丘壑), is exhibited at the Princeton University Art Museum. In 2019, Dutch scholar Lennert Gesterkamp argued that the colophon attached to the painting and mentioning Xie Youyu is a forgery, and that Zhao Mengfu's intention was to honor his own spiritual master, Daoist scholar Du Daojian (1237–1318), who also celebrated nature. Zhao had several sons with Guan Daosheng; his second son, Zhao Yong, also became a famous painter and calligrapher. He was the maternal grandfather of Wang Meng, another famous painter.
Reader's Guide
To appreciate Zhao Mengfu's work, focus on his revolutionary brushwork: he deliberately turned away from the refined, gentle style of his own time and revived the cruder, more direct style of the eighth century. This shift is key to understanding his landscapes, where he builds depth not through traditional foreground-middle-background organization but by stacking multiple middle grounds at different heights—a method that gives his paintings a simple, approachable feel. His horse paintings are also a hallmark of his output. A specific point of interest is 'The Mind Landscape of Xie Youyu' at Princeton University Art Museum; be aware that its traditional attribution to the scholar Xie Youyu has been challenged by Lennert Gesterkamp in 2019, who claims the colophon is a forgery and the painting actually honors Daoist master Du Daojian. Zhao's legacy extends beyond his art: his former residence in Huzhou, Zhejiang province was restored into a museum and opened to the public in 2012, and a 167-kilometer-diameter crater on Mercury (132.4° west, 87.3° south) was named the 'Chao Meng-Fu crater' in his memory.
Did You Know?
- Zhao Mengfu was a descendant of the Song dynasty's imperial family through Emperor Xiaozong's brother Zhao Bogui, who married a granddaughter of Emperor Huizong.
- He was recommended by Censor-in-chief Cheng Jufu to pay an audience with Kublai Khan in 1286 at the Yuan capital of Dadu.
- In 2019, Dutch scholar Lennert Gesterkamp argued that the colophon on Zhao's painting 'The Mind Landscape of Xie Youyu' is a forgery, and the work actually honors Daoist scholar Du Daojian.
- A 167-kilometer-diameter crater on Mercury (132.4° west, 87.3° south) was named the 'Chao Meng-Fu crater' in his memorial.
- Zhao Mengfu's former residence in Huzhou, Zhejiang province was restored into a museum and opened to the public in 2012.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Zhao Mengfu?
Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322) was a Chinese artist and scholar who worked during the Yuan dynasty. He practiced calligraphy, painting, and academic scholarship, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential painters of his era.
What is Zhao Mengfu most famous for?
He is best known for reshaping landscape painting by deliberately abandoning the polished, refined brushwork that dominated his time and instead embracing a rougher, more primitive aesthetic drawn from eighth-century precedents. He also produced celebrated paintings of horses and was a highly accomplished calligrapher.
What was Zhao Mengfu's family background?
He was a descendant of the Song dynasty imperial family, which gave him an aristocratic and deeply scholarly upbringing. This lineage tied him to the cultural legacy of the previous dynasty even as he lived and worked under Yuan rule.
How did Zhao Mengfu change landscape painting?
Rather than following the prevailing trend toward ever-more-refined technique, he reached back to older, cruder stylistic models and treated that apparent simplicity as a deliberate artistic statement. This approach expanded what painters considered acceptable and opened new expressive possibilities for later generations.
Why is Zhao Mengfu important in art history?
He demonstrated that looking backward to earlier, simpler techniques could serve as a genuine act of innovation rather than mere imitation. His willingness to reject the established refined style in favor of a more direct, expressive manner influenced how subsequent artists balanced tradition with personal voice.
More in Painters & Visual Artists 1-23
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record