Gu Kaizhi

Who was Gu Kaizhi?

Gu Kaizhi, is a celebrated painter of ancient China. His style name was 'Changkang'. He was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu province and first painted at Nanjing in 364. In 366, he became an officer. Later he was promoted to royal officer. He was also a talented poet and calligrapher. He wrote three books about painting theory: On Painting, Introduction of Famous Paintings of Wei and Jin Dynasties and Painting Yuntai Mountain. He wrote: "In figure paintings the clothes and the appearances were not very important. The eyes were the spirit and the decisive factor."

Gu's art is known today through copies of several silk handscroll paintings attributed to him. Some of the major works are in the hands of foreign museums, but it is uncertain if China will ever request their return.