Wu Dongqing

CHINA, Hunan, Changsha; Northern Song dynasty

Wu Dongqing learned painting from his father Wu Yue, who modeled his figure paintings on the works of Wu Daozi, a renowned Tang dynasty (618–907) painter. Skilled in depicting Buddhist and Daoist figures and astrological images, Wu vividly presented the charming characteristics of each figure. In his painting of Arhats, his skillful illustration of the delicate hairs and beards was praised in History of Painting and by other notable individuals of his time.
Overview of Painting recorded his paintings Eleven Luminaries, Twenty-Eight Mansions, and Twelve Spiritual Masters of Daoism, while Xuanhe Catalog of Paintings documented 21 of his works, including Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva, and Flower-Scattering Heavenly Beings. Wu’s only extant work is Goddess, which is kept at the Osaka Municipal Museum.