Wen Jia

Wen Jia (born 1501, Suzhou, China—died 1582) was a Chinese painter and calligrapher. He was the son of the renowned painter Wen Zhengming and a prominent figure in the Wu school of scholar-artists.1

Wen Jia's artistic style was deeply influenced by his father, and his paintings often featured lyrical delicacy in composition, touch, and color. He specialized in landscapes, continuing the tradition of scholarly amateur painting that emphasized personal expression and a connection with nature. His work, along with that of his nephew Wen Boren, represented a continuation of the Wu school's refined aesthetic, though lesser artists sometimes rendered it overly artificial.12