Ink on alum-treated paper 18*59 cm

Gong Xian (1618-1689), also known by his zi (courtesy name) Banqian and his hao (literary names) Banmu and Chaizhangren, was a native of Kunshan, Jiangsu province. An accomplished poet, calligrapher, and painter, he was a leading figure among the “Eight Masters of Nanjing.”In his later years, he frequently created monumental handscrolls that were at once intricate and somber, imbued with a sense of desolation and cold solitude. His representative works include the painting Countless Cliffs and Ravines(Qianyan Wanhe Juan). He was also the author of Collected Works of the Xiangcaotang Studio (Xiangcaotang Ji).