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Zhou Fan

China • I century−I century

Zhou Fan was born in the Tang capital city of Chang'an (XI'an), the exact dates of birth and death is unknown, but it can be assumed that they have for the second half of the 8th and beginning of 9th century. Chinese critics highly appreciated the skill of Zhou Fan, believed that part of the female portrait he does not know equal. Zhou Fan wrote excellent portraits of men and.

Zhou Fan was born in the Tang capital of Chang'an in an aristocratic family, whose members occupied high positions in the Empire. Being the son of a noble Lord, he revolved in a circle of government advisers and chancellors. His elder brother Hao was distinguished for military prowess, and was accompanied by the Tang General Geshu Han during his campaign against Tofana. Thanks to his military talents Hao was soon close to the Emperor and appointed commander of the Imperial escort. Next, Zhu Cincuan describes the events as follows: "When the Emperor Te-Tsung rebuilt the temple Janssens, he called Hao and said, "Your brother Fang adept at painting, we wish to entrust him to paint gods for the temple Janssens. Lime it specifically about our desire". The Emperor De Zong of the rules in 780-805. Apparently, Zhou Fan by that time was already a famous artist. The researchers suggest that he was born in about 730-40 years, and probably made a good administrative career; Zhu Cincuan reports that he served as military Governor in Quanzhou. In parallel with the service he was engaged in painting. Another ancient art historian Zhang YANYUAN (C. 815 – CA. 875) in his "Notes on famous artists of all time," describes the development of the art of Zhou Fang: "First, Zhou Fan imitated paintings of Zhang Xuan, but then became very different. He went far in his style, dedicating his art to portraying the rich and noble people, and eschewed (any mention of) the simple village life. Clothes pattern he has simple, but strong, and the color is soft and crafty."

In his era he was known primarily as a muralist, painted Buddhist temples. Zhu Cincuan leads to several testimonies: "In Chang'an to this day has created a Fun picture of Avalokitesvara bodhisattva who contemplates the moon's reflection in the water. The people at that time said that the painted Fan, the painting of a procession of monks in front of the hall of Buddha in the temple Dahunsi and the two deities on the wall of the hall of Buddha in the temple of Guangyi had no equal in the whole world. When Fan served in the post of military Governor of Quanzhou, he drew the image of the Heavenly Lord of the North in the temple Chandini, because the God had appeared to him in a dream". However, all of his paintings were lost during the persecution of Buddhism in the middle of the IX century, and in the history of Chinese art he became known as an unsurpassed master image of women because he was an artist who reached success in the genre. Tradition also ascribes to him the creation of the first erotic paintings.

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