Zhou Fang (Tang dynasty)

Zhou Fang (Chinese: 周昉; Wade–Giles: Chou Fang; c. 730–800), courtesy name Zhonglang (仲朗), was a Chinese painter during the Tang dynasty. Zhou lived in the Tang capital of Chang'an (modern Xi'an) and painted for the Emperor. His noble background^[1] was reflected in his works, such as Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers (attributed) and Court Lady With Servants. Zhou Fang's artistic activity is long, up to three to four decades, running parallel to the Dàlì to Zhenyuan era (766–805), his artistic activity was mainly concentrated in Chang'an and Jiangnan.

The themes of his artwork included religious subjects and everyday life.^[1]

The late-Tang art critic Zhu Jingxuan said:

Zhou Fang's Buddha, celestial beings, figures, and paintings of beautiful women are all incredible masterpieces.

His official career and aristocratic status enabled him to live and work with many notables. He was a contemporary of famed Tang dynasty painter Wu Daozi. He was influenced by the pure and detailed style of Gu Kaizhi and Lu Tanwei from the Six Dynasties period. He absorbed Zhang Xuan's painting themes and artistic techniques so fully that later generations had to distinguish between the small differences of the color stained on their lady figures.

Zhou created paintings of goddesses modeled after imperial court ladies, a development that indicated religious painting was to become more realistic, and that secular painting was beginning to take on its initial form. His portrait paintings emphasized real life, and as forerunners of secular lady paintings, they influenced on later paintings of court ladies.^[2] He was a famous religious and character painter. His most famous painting is a Buddhist image called "Water Moon Goddess of Mercy" that became a popular standard called "Zhou Jiaxiang".