The Life and Art of Wang Mian
Wang Mian was a Chinese painter and poet active during the Yuan dynasty. Born in Zhuji, Zhejiang, he was the son of a peasant family. Although he initially prepared for the imperial examinations and studied the ancient military arts, he did not obtain the jinshi degree. Instead of pursuing government employment, he chose the life of a scholar in retirement and worked as a freelance artist in cities such as Nanjing and Suzhou. He was known by several sobriquets, including Zhushi Shannong. In his later years, he built a "Plum Blossom Retreat" in the Kuaiji Mountains, where he lived as a mild eccentric. During the campaign by Zhu Yuanzhang against the Mongols, Wang served briefly as a military adviser.
Artistic Style and Legacy
Specializing in paintings of plum and bamboo, Wang Mian was recognized as one of the earliest artists to write poetry on his artworks. He was noted for his use of the reverse-saturation technique. For Wang, the plum blossom served as a symbol of his lonely stand in a barbarian-ruled world. His reputation grew to the point that he was hosted by the Yuan Court's Chief Secretary in Beijing. His work has been featured in various exhibitions, including the 1985 Bones of Jade, Soul of Ice exhibition at the Yale University Art Gallery. He is also a protagonist in the eighteenth-century novel The Scholars.
