Wang Ximeng


Wang Ximeng was a Chinese painter during the Song Dynasty, in the early twelfth century. A prodigy, Wang was one of the most renowned court painters of the Northern Song period, and was taught personally by Emperor Huizong of Song himself. He died at the age of 23.

''A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains''

Wang's only surviving work is an long scroll titled A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains. The painting, finished by Wang when he was only 18 in 1113, was one of the largest in Chinese history, and has been described as one of the greatest works of Chinese art. The painting is in the permanent collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
"Chinese landscape paintings are “read,” meaning they are viewed, from right to left". But recently scholars state that this painting should be viewed as the whole panorama. Perhaps, he used the technique of "Chinese occlusion" and the use of green and blue colors of Tang for creating of huge landscapes. The large piece of silk painting should be laid on the old, time-worn wall. Looking through it at dawn or in the evening an artist could see landscapes that later he would depict in his own painting.