Landscapes of the Four Seasons

Liu Songnian was a prominent Chinese painter of the Southern Song dynasty, active from 1174 to 1224. While primarily known for his detailed figure paintings, he also created notable landscapes. Among his landscape works are Landscapes of the Four Seasons and Traveling in Autumn Mountains.1

Landscapes of the Four Seasons, a hand scroll, showcases a bird's-eye view composition and uses bold, ax-cut strokes on mountains and rocks, reflecting the style of Li Tang. These landscapes, despite small figures, convey a sense of harmony between humans and nature. Liu Songnian's work, alongside that of Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, contributed to an academic style that influenced later Chinese painting.1