Li Tang

Years of birth and death unknown. Chinese painter from the Northern Song to Southern Song dynasties. His courtesy name was Xigu. He was from Heyang Sancheng (Meng County, Henan Province). He entered the Xuanhe Painting Academy under Emperor Huizong (reigned 1100-1125). After the fall of the Northern Song dynasty, he led a wandering life, but around 1138 (the 8th year of Shaoxing), he traveled south to Lin'an where he was reinstated to the painting academy, rose to the rank of Chengzhonglang, and was awarded a gold sash. He was said to have been nearly 80 years old at the time. Li Tang played an important role in linking Northern Song painting with Southern Song painting. He is said to have been skilled in all areas, including landscapes and portraits. There is a theory that "Winds of Pine Trees Across Ten Thousands" in the National Palace Museum in Taipei was created in the Northern Song dynasty, and that the pair of "Landscapes" in the Kotoin temple of Daitokuji in Kyoto was created in the Southern Song dynasty. This debate has yet to be resolved, but there seems to be no disagreement that these two works are Li Tang's masterpieces, as they show the breadth of his style.

[Kondo Hidemi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年未詳。中国、北宋(ほくそう)～南宋の画家。字(あざな)は晞古(きこ)。河陽三城（河南省孟(もう)県）の人。徽宗(きそう)帝（在位1100～25）の宣和(せんな)画院に入る。北宋滅亡後は流浪の生活を送ったが、1138年（紹興8）ごろ、南渡した臨安(りんあん)の地で画院に復職、官は成忠郎に至り、金帯を賜った。このとき80歳近くの高齢であったという。李唐は北宋絵画と南宋絵画をつなぐ重要な役割を果たした。山水、人物その他すべてにわたり得意であったといわれる。台北の国立故宮博物院蔵『万壑松風(ばんがくしょうふう)図』を北宋時代の作、京都・大徳寺高桐(こうとう)院蔵『山水図』双幅を南宋時代の作とする説がある。いまだこの論議は決着をみてないが、李唐の画風の幅広さを示すものとして、この2作を代表作とすることには異論がないものと思われる。

［近藤秀実］

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