Painting of Tao Tie (hanging scroll)

Zhu Da(1626-1705) was born in Nanchang being a descendant of Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning of the Ming Dynasty. He became a monk in a monastery after the Ming Dynasty was overthrown. His literary names included Xuege, Lvhan, Geshanlv, Heyuanzhuren, and Badashanren. Zhu excelled at flower-and-bird painting and his works under this theme feature a strong personality with tense and sharp brush strokes. The fishes and birds in his paintings are exaggerated and eccentric. His landscape paintings, however, carry a sense of loneliness and solitude. Zhu also specialized in Chinese calligraphy. His running script, mainly influenced by Wang Xianzhi, stands out with its own unique style, featuring simplicity and roundness. Zhu Da was one of the “Four Monks of the Early Qing Dynasty,” with the other three being Hongren, Kun can, and Shitao.