Isabella Flores
Wu Daozi, an undisputed great artist of the Tang Dynasty, is the subject of numerous legends and tales. One such tale involves Emperor Xuanzong, who commissioned Wu to paint a mural of the Jialing River in Sichuan. Wu spent weeks touring the river and, upon his return, the emperor asked to see his sketches. Wu claimed that they were all in his heart and proceeded to paint the entire river from memory in just one day. Another legend describes Wu painting a mural in the emperor's palace, featuring a stunning nature scene with a cave at the foot of a mountain. Wu informed the emperor that a spirit dwelled within the cave, clapped his hands and entered the painting, never to be seen again. These stories highlight Wu Daozi's mastery of art, his unrestrained style, and the supernatural elements often found in his work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Birth year | c. 680 or c. 686 |
| Death year | 759 or c. 760 |
| Dynasty | Tang |
| Known as | One of the greatest Chinese artists, Sage of Art, Sage of Painting |
| Art specialisation | Landscapes, religious murals, human figures |
| Art characteristics | Bold, free, unrestrained, superb skills, spontaneous, supernatural |
| Art influence | Taoist |
| Legends | Disappeared into his own painting, painted a river from memory in a day, a painter imitated his style and destroyed the wall to hide secrets |
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What You'll Learn
Wu Daozi's disappearance into his own painting
Wu Daozi was a legendary painter of the Tang Dynasty, considered one of the greatest Chinese artists of all time. He was known for his unrestrained style and superb skills, particularly in landscape painting and the depiction of human figures.
One of the many legends surrounding Wu Daozi tells of his disappearance into his own painting. In this tale, Emperor Xuanzong commissioned Wu Daozi to paint a mural on a wall in one of the imperial halls. The mural was to depict the beautiful landscape of the Jialing River in Sichuan Province, which Wu Daozi had visited beforehand to study.
Upon his return, Wu Daozi spent weeks touring along the river, but he came back without any sketches, claiming that the images were all in his heart. In just one day, he painted the entire 300-kilometer-long scenery of the river on the wall. The mural included a stunning array of flora and fauna, with a cave or door at the foot of a mountain.
When the painting was complete, Wu Daozi informed the emperor that it was not just what met the eye; he had made the painting in such a way that a spirit dwelt within the cave. He then clapped his hands, and the door opened. Wu Daozi entered the painting, inviting the emperor to follow. However, the door suddenly shut, and Wu Daozi disappeared inside his own painting, never to be seen again. The wall was once again white and bright, with no ink left on it.
This tale celebrates the disappearance of the artist from the worldly stage and has a strong Taoist flavour. It has been retold and meditated on by writers such as Sven Lindqvist and Walter Benjamin, reflecting on the spirituality of art and the challenge it poses to modern aesthetics.
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The artist's mastery of landscapes
Wu Daozi is considered one of the greatest Chinese artists of all time, renowned for his unrestrained style and mastery of landscapes. His powerful brushwork was described as "bold and free, like the rolling waves of the sea".
During the Tang Dynasty, Wu Daozi revolutionised landscape painting, elevating it from a background element in figure paintings to a new genre in its own right. He was the first artist in Chinese art history to achieve this. His landscapes were so impressive that he became known as the "Sage of Art".
One of Wu Daozi's most famous works was a mural commissioned by Emperor Xuanzong, who sent the artist to study the Jialing River in Sichuan. Wu Daozi spent weeks touring the river, absorbing the beauty of the landscape. When he returned, he painted the entire 300-kilometer-long river course from memory in a single day. This work showcased his ability to capture the essence and sensation of a landscape, rather than simply reproducing its physical details.
Another legendary mural, painted in the palace, depicted a rich nature scene with a valley, flora and fauna, and a cave at the foot of a mountain. According to the tale, Wu Daozi informed the emperor that a spirit dwelled within the cave. He then clapped his hands, opened the cave, and entered, inviting the emperor to follow. As the emperor watched in astonishment, Wu Daozi stepped into his painting and vanished, never to be seen again.
Wu Daozi's mastery of landscapes extended beyond rivers and caves. He also painted mountains, flowers, and birds with equal skill. His landscapes were so highly regarded that even today, over 1,400 years later, he is revered as a master artist in China.
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His work for Emperor Xuanzong
Wu Daozi, one of the greatest Chinese artists of the Tang Dynasty, was known for his unrestrained style and superb skills. He was a master of the shuti or "sketchy" style of landscape painting and was the first artist in Chinese history to establish landscapes as a new genre of painting.
Emperor Xuanzong, who ruled during the Tang Dynasty, was a patron of Wu Daozi. One day, the emperor thought of the beautiful landscape of the Jialing River in Sichuan Province. He summoned Wu Daozi and ordered him to travel to the river, observe its beauty, and then paint the landscape on a wall in one of the imperial halls.
Wu Daozi spent several weeks touring along the river, taking in the scenery and committing it to memory. When he returned to the capital, the emperor asked to see his sketches. Wu Daozi replied that he did not need sketches because the images were all in his heart. The artist then spent just one day painting the 300-kilometer-long scenery of the river on the wall of the imperial hall. The emperor was awestruck by the brilliant painting.
In another tale, Emperor Xuanzong called upon Wu Daozi to paint a mural on a wall of his palace. Wu Daozi created a nature scene set in a valley, featuring a diverse array of flora and fauna, with a cave at the foot of a mountain. He told the emperor that the painting was not just a static image, but that a spirit dwelled within the cave. To demonstrate, Wu Daozi clapped his hands and entered the cave, inviting the emperor to follow. The painter stepped into the cave, but the entrance closed behind him, and the painting vanished from the wall, leaving the emperor astonished.
Wu Daozi's work for Emperor Xuanzong and his other patrons has earned him the reverence of "Sage of Art" in China for the past 1,400 years.
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Wu's unique painting style
Wu Daozi, also known as Daoxuan and Wu Tao Tzu, was a Chinese painter of the Tang dynasty. He is considered one of the greatest Chinese artists of all time and is worshipped by later folk artists as the god of painting.
Wu's technique in fabric painting, later named "Wu's Breeze," was exceptional. He created his own techniques for painting fabrics and the creases of clothes, with ribbons so light and flowing that viewers could almost feel the breeze.
Wu specialised in painting human figures, and was exceptionally skilled at depicting the features of human beings. He painted figures with round strokes to show their flowing clothes.
He is also known for his speed of execution. Legend has it that Emperor Xuanzong sent Wu to study the Jialing River to complete a mural of its entire course. Wu returned without sketches and painted the entire river from memory in just one day, completing the 300-kilometer-long account.
Unfortunately, none of Wu's original works survive, but his style is believed to be preserved in some later copies and stone carvings.
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The scarcity of his surviving works
Wu Daozi, a Chinese painter of the Tang Dynasty, is considered one of the masters of the seventh century. While he painted more than 300 stunning murals during his lifetime, very few of his original works have survived. The scarcity of his surviving works is a notable aspect of Wu Daozi's legacy, and it is believed that most of his murals have been lost over time.
The majority of Wu Daozi's surviving works are not authentic originals but are later copies or stone carvings. One of his famous paintings, a portrait of Confucius, was preserved through a stone engraving copy. This indicates that while the original artwork may be lost, the subject and style were replicated and disseminated through other mediums.
The loss of Wu Daozi's murals can be attributed to various factors, including the passage of time, natural disasters, and human actions. One legend illustrates this point: a painter discovered one of the last surviving murals of Wu Daozi, studied and imitated the style, and then destroyed the wall to ensure no one else could learn the secrets of the master. This story highlights the potential vulnerability of artwork to destruction or vandalism, especially in the absence of preservation methods or cultural heritage protection.
The scarcity of surviving works by Wu Daozi underscores the importance of art conservation and the challenges of preserving artistic legacies. It also contributes to the enigmatic nature of his artistic genius, as the limited availability of his artwork fuels curiosity and fascination.
Despite the scarcity of his surviving works, Wu Daozi's artistic prowess and innovative techniques have earned him a revered position in the history of Chinese art. His mastery of landscape painting, realistic techniques, and the establishment of brushwork have left an indelible mark on the artistic world, even if the physical manifestations of his talent are few and far between.
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Frequently asked questions
The legend goes that Wu Daozi was commissioned by Emperor Xuanzong to paint a mural of the Jialing River in the imperial palace. After completing the mural, Wu Daozi drew a door on the side of a hill within the painting. He then clapped his hands and the door opened. Wu Daozi entered the painting, inviting the emperor to follow, but the door shut, and he disappeared inside his painting.
The tale of Wu Daozi celebrates the disappearance of the artist from the worldly stage and has a strong Taoist flavour. It depicts the spirituality of art and the supernatural skill of the painter.
Wu Daozi was an undisputed great artist of the Tang Dynasty and one of the greatest Chinese artists of all time. He was known for his unrestrained style and superb skills. He painted more than 300 stunning murals during his lifetime and is revered as a "Sage of Art" in China.
Yes, another legend states that Emperor Xuanzong sent Wu Daozi to study the Jialing River to complete a mural. Wu Daozi returned without sketches and painted the entire river from memory in a single day.
