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- (f) Insects and Plants; album leaf; ink and colour on paper; 32x37 cm; The Finlayson Collection
Hua Yan�s technical skill and versatility was unmatched by the other Yangzhou Eccentrics. He was highly praised for his birds, animals, trees, grasses and flowers, but his landscapes were criticized for �leaving out too much.� He is often extolled for his great talents in poetry, calligraphy and painting.
25. Gao Fenghan (1653-c.i749)
Painting of Autumn Thoughts in the Pavilion Amidst Trees', hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper; 80.7x42.2 cm; Gift of Mr. R. W. Fin�layson; NGG
Gao Fenghan is sometimes numbered among the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou instead of Hua Yan. In 1737, he was removed from his govern�ment post, and shortly after he became para�lyzed in the right hand as a result of severe rheumatism. He was a man of great artistic genius and determination; so he changed to paint with his left hand and became an even more renowned painter.
26. Gao Qipei (1672-1734)
* Duck Swimming Under Willow Branches', hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper; dimen�sions unavailable; Gift of Mr. R. W. Finlayson;
OHF
(cover) Young Crane Under Wutong Tree', hanging scroll; ink on paper; 96.5x44.5 cm; The Finlayson Collection
Gao Qipei, a Manchu by birth, was an accom�plished painter from the age of eight. He served at the Imperial Court and held a high admin�istrative post. He was a man of great artistic ability, and is particularly well known for his finger painting. After allowing one fingernail to grow to a great length, he slit and used it like a pen. He also used his fingers and the sides of his hands to apply washes of ink and colour. He rapidly produced paintings and as a result not all his paintings have a uniform high quality. However, his painting of the Young Crane on the cover must rank with his all-time best.
27. Zhu Lunhan (1680-1760)
Scholar Gazing at a Waterfall', hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper; 194.3x87.6 cm; Gift of Mr. R. W. Finlayson; ngc
Zhu Lunhan, a nephew of Gao Qipei, practised finger painting in the style of his uncle. His paintings and calligraphy were considered excel�lent and highly praised. On one occasion, the Manchu emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) inscribed and presented one of Zhu�s fan paintings to the Prince of Korea as a gift. The scroll illustrated here is the earliest dated example of his work (1721).
28. Li Shizhuo (c.1690-1770)
Landscape Illustration to the �Odes of Bin33; hanging scroll; ink on paper; 67.9x35.5 cm; Gift of Mr. R. W. Finlayson; ngc
Li Shizhuo, another nephew of the finger-painter Gao Qipei, was influenced by his uncle�s style but he translated it into his own brush method; thus creating a new independent style. After mysteriously leaving his government post to live in impoverished retirement, his style matured and he began to produce his finest works.
29. Zou Zhilin (17th century)
* Landscape; hanging scroll; ink on paper;
84.5 x 30.2 cm; Gift of Mr. S. Bossin; ngc
Zou Zhilin�s life and works are obscure. He became a jinshi (third degree graduate or advanced scholar) in 1610. Following the Man�chu conquest of the Ming dynasty, he retired and devoted himself to painting. He appears to have been a close acquaintance of the famous painter Gong Xian. His landscapes are in the style of the Yuan painters � Huang Gongwang and Ni Zan.
30. Wang Wu (1632-1690)
* Mynah on a Pine Tree; hanging scroll; ink on paper; dimensions unavailable; Gift of Mr. R. W. Finlayson; ohf
Wang Wu was a painter from Suzhou, an area which was famous for producing many of China�s finest artists. He painted landscapes, flowers and birds, and was a renowned collector and connoisseur of paintings.
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