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Wang Shimin (王時敏, 1592-1680), style name Xunzhi (遜之), pseudonyms Yanke (煙客) and Xilu Laoren (西廬老人), was a Chinese landscape painter during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Born in Taicang near modern Shanghai, Wang grew up in an artistic, scholarly environment. His grandfather Wang Xijue (王錫爵) was a prime minister in the late Ming dynasty, and his father Wang Heng (王衡) was a Hanlin Academy editor for the court. Starting from a tender age, Wang Shimin was introduced to the study of painting and calligraphy, and was a pupil of Dong Qichang (董其昌, 1555–1636). His family owned a huge collection of ancient paintings, from which Wang Shimin drew his inspiration. In 1614, he went to the capital and began his rise in officialdom. At the age of 48 while on an official trip to Fujian, however, he fell ill due to exhaustion in Nanjing. He thereupon resigned and took to seclusion in the suburbs of Taicang. During this period, Wang Shimin immersed himself in art and created numerous works. He was an advocate for following the styles of ancient masters, and many of his paintings were in the style of Huang Gongwang (黃公望, 1269-1354). His works place him in an elevated group known as the Four Wangs, also part of the Six Masters of the early Qing period.
Artworks by Wang Shimin
