Lu Tanwei

CHINA, Jiangsu, Suzhou; Liu Song to Southern Qi dynasty (420–502)

Lu Tanwei was a court painter from Wuxian (present day Suzhou, Jiangsu). He emulated the style of Gu Kaizhi and was adept in painting portraits, Buddhist images, and nature. Lu was regarded alongside Gu Kaizhi, Zhang Sengyao, and Cao Buxing as one of the Four Painting Masters of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern dynasties.
He was particularly skilled in depicting Sakyamuni Buddha on linen paper. Classification of Ancient Painters compiled the paintings of 27 artists from the Six Dynasties (220–589); of them, Lu was rated as one of the best. Zhang Huaiguan of the Tang dynasty (618–907) commented that his works were condensed and powerful, like a knife with a sharp tip, yet his figures are adorned with delicate features. He was inspired by Wang Xianzhi’s one-stroke style of calligraphy and incorporated it in his painting technique, marking the formal integration of calligraphy with traditional Chinese painting. Although he was compared with many of his contemporaries, Lu’s delicate and compact style is said to contrast with the more sparse styles of Zhang Sengyao and Wu Daozi. He was regarded alongside Gu Kaizhi and together, they were referred to as Gu Lu.
Lu’s Buddhist paintings, Ananda and Vimalakirti, and mural of Bodhisattvas behind the main hall of Ganlu Temple in Zhejiang, are recorded in Famous Paintings in History. Amitayus Buddha, Vimalakirti, and Vaisravana, among others are recorded in Xuanhe Catalog of Paintings. Long Poem of Luo River Goddess, kept at the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., USA, is a copy of the original work painted by Jiu Ge. Although it is a copy, the work serves as a reference for understanding the painting style and skill of Lu Tanwei. The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove with Rong Qiqi in Nanjing Museum is also attributed to him.