Eight Masters of Jinling (金陵八家) refer to a group of Chinese artists who lived during the second half of the 17th century in Jinling (modern Nanjing). Their group identity derives largely from the locale in which they worked. Although some aesthetic similarities are discernible, their styles are quite different in many ways. The Eight Masters of Jinling are individualist painters in contrast to the orthodox “Four Wangs”.
The outstanding artist of the group, Gong Xian (龔賢), is known particularly for his dense, moist landscapes, which are unusual in the history of Chinese painting. Others of the group include Fan Qi (樊圻), Gao Cen (高岑), Zou Zhe (鄒喆), Wu Hong (吳宏), Ye Xin (葉欣), Hu Zao (胡慥), and Xie Sun (謝蓀). Little is known of most of these artists, and few of their paintings have survived.
