Zhan Ziqian

Zhan Ziqian was a pivotal Chinese painter whose style is often described as transitional, moving from a more decorative, landscape-as-backdrop style to a more naturalistic, landscape-as-subject style. Key characteristics include:

• Early Landscape Dominance: Landscapes take center stage, showcasing detailed natural scenery.
• Atmospheric Perspective: He attempts to create a sense of depth and distance through the use of lighter colors in the background.
• Refined Detail: Figures and objects are rendered with exquisite precision and care, though still relatively small compared to the landscape.

His style often revolves around the theme of harmony between humanity and nature, depicting courtly figures interacting peacefully within vast and idealized landscapes.

Mnemonic Trick: Think of "Zhan" as "Dawn," symbolizing the dawn of a new era in Chinese landscape painting where nature began to take on a more central and evocative role.