Tao Chi

Who was Tao Chi?

Tao Chi, also called Shi Tao, was a Chinese landscape painter, calligrapher, and poet during the late Ming Dynasty.

Chi was born into an imperial, royal family. He later became a monk to avoid political persecution where he studied and practiced writings and paintings. He subsequently left the Buddhist church to become a professional painter. Chi once described his style as "the best method is no method". His works were produced with combining many different techniques. He was recognized as a top artist in his time and was very influential on other artists.