Zhou Wenju () (
fl. 942–961), also known as Chou Wen-chu, was a Chinese painter during the
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...
(907–960). His exact birth and death dates are not known.
Zhou was born in
Jurong
Jurong () is a major geographical region located at the south-westernmost point of the West Region of Singapore. Although mostly vaguely defined, the region's extent roughly covers the planning areas of Jurong East, Jurong West, Boon Lay, ...
, and specialized in figure painting. He worked as a painter in attendance at the Painting Academy of the
Southern Tang
Southern Tang () was a state in Southern China that existed during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, which proclaimed itself to be the successor of the former Tang dynasty. The capital was located at Nanjing in present-day Jiangsu Province. ...
court. It is recorded that Zhou participated in executing a joint work at the banquet held by
Emperor Yuanzong of Southern Tang on New Year's Day, 947.
[Guo Ruoxu, ''Tuhua Jianwenzhi,'' vol.6, about ACE1081,] A follower of
Zhou Fang (Tang dynasty) in the Tang. Quite a few paintings are attributed to him, but none with much evidence.
Most works attributed to him are later copies or misatributions. Four scroll monochrome copies before 1140 are a little plausible, one of which is in Metropolitan museum (images in gallery).
Gallery
Чжоу Вэньцзюй 3.jpg, ''A Literary Garden'' (文苑图 ''Wenyuantu'')
Zhou Wenju 重屏会棋图 Palace Museum, Illustrated Section.jpg, ''Chess Meeting with Double Screens'' (重屏会棋图 ''Zhongping Huiqitu''), depicting Li Jing and his brothers playing '' weiqi''
宋 佚名 倣周文矩 宮中圖 卷-In the Palace MET DP204390.jpg, ''In the Palace'' (宫中图 ''Gongzhongtu''), 12th century copy, section one.
宋 佚名 倣周文矩 宮中圖 卷-In the Palace MET DP204391 92.jpg, ''In the Palace'', section two.
宋 佚名 倣周文矩 宮中圖 卷-In the Palace MET DP204392 93 CRD.jpg, ''In the Palace'', section three.
宋 佚名 倣周文矩 宮中圖 卷-In the Palace MET DP204392 93.jpg, ''In the Palace'', section four.
宋 佚名 倣周文矩 宮中圖 卷-In the Palace MET DP204393.jpg, ''In the Palace'', section five.
References
External links
In the Palace after a work attributed to Zhou Wenjuat Cleveland Museum
In the Palace at Metropolitan Museum
In the Palace at Harvard Museum
Southern Tang painters
10th-century Chinese painters
Painters from Zhenjiang
People from Jurong, Jiangsu
{{China-painter-stub