Song Ziyan

Place: Edo

Born: 1715

Death: 1786

Biography:

Song Ziyan, also known as Sō Shigan in Japanese, was a Chinese painter who had a significant influence on Japanese art. He is known to have taught Sō Shiseki, a Japanese painter of the Nagasaki and Nanpin schools, who later became a prominent representative and teacher of the Nagasaki school in Edo.

Life and Career

was born in 1715 in Edo (present-day Tokyo) and spent some time in Nagasaki, where he studied under Song Ziyan. The name Sō Shiseki is an art-name, derived from an imitation of his master's name. Sō Shiseki's bird and flower paintings and other works display the use of a combination of broad calligraphic brushstrokes for branches, tree trunks, and rocks, ink wash and color for flower petals and leaves, and much finer brushstrokes for the fine details of feathers and flowers to produce a very detailed and lifelike, realistic depiction.

Artistic Style

's style is indeed more focused on details, also lending credence to the legacy left by botanic manuals and scientific treatises. His works can be found in various museums, including the Kobe City Museum in Japan. One of his notable works is Gray Starling on Sacred Bamboo, a stunning hand-made oil painting reproduction available at https://Wikioo.org. Nanpin school and Bird-and-flower painting are some of the styles that Sō Shiseki was known for. He composed a number of books, and woodblock printed volumes of his artworks were produced as well.

Notable Works and Students

Some notable works by Sō Shiseki include:

• Bird among Camellias in Snow, a painting that showcases his skill in combining Chinese and Western realism.
• Gray Starling on Sacred Bamboo, a stunning hand-made oil painting reproduction available at https://Wikioo.org.

One of his notable students was Shiba Kōkan, who went on to become a prominent painter in his own right. Sō Shiseki was also close with rangaku scholars such as Hiraga Gennai and Sugita Genpaku, and expressed an interest in Western painting.

Legacy

's legacy can be seen in the many works of art that he produced, as well as the students he taught. His style, which combined Chinese and Western realism, had a significant influence on Japanese art. For more information about Sō Shiseki and his works, visit https://Wikioo.org or check out the Sō Shigan dedicated to him.