Su Hanchen (Chinese:蘇漢臣;pinyin:Sū Hànchén; 1094–1172)[2] was a Chinese painter active in theSong dynasty. A native of Bianjing (present-dayKaifeng,Henan), he was renowned for hisfigure paintings and was appointed as a "Painter-in-Attendance" byEmperor Huizong. For most of his career, Su was based inZhejiang.
Su was born in 1094 in Bianjing (present-dayKaifeng,Henan).[2][3] He was employed by the Northern Song court's Academy of Painting "solely for his skills at painting",[4] and subsequently designated as a "Painter-in-Attendance" byEmperor Huizong. He was known for his figure paintings, especially those of women and children.[5][6]
In Su's seminalbaizi (百子) or "hundred-boys" paintings,[7] "generic but appealing" children are usually depicted in gardens,[8] and can be seen engaging in various leisurely activities, from dancing to kite-flying.[2] Su also paintedBuddhist andTaoist figures, although most of these paintings are now considered lost.[2] Su spent most of his career inZhejiang.[9] He died in 1172.[2]
According toGu Bing (顾炳), who included Su'sWoman Bathing Child in his 1603Master Gu's Painting Manual (Gushi huapu;顧氏畫譜), Su's application of colour was "fresh" and he depicted figures "as though alive".[10] Art historianJames Cahill remarked that Su's paintings "have an immediate appeal that has made them popular everywhere".[2] Two of his most celebrated works,Children Playing in an Autumn Garden andChildren at Play on a Winter Day, are on display at theNational Palace Museum inTaipei. According to theShanghai Daily, these two paintings are "usually regarded as the best example of Song paintings themed on children playing in a private garden".[2]
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