Shen Zhou

Shen Zhou (1427–1509), courtesy name Qinan, was a Ming painter. He was born into a scholarly landowning family at Xiangcheng near Suzhou.

After his father's death, he chose not to sit for the civil service examinations, devoting himself instead to his widowed mother and a reclusive life of poetry, calligraphy and painting; commoners who came to his door requesting works were never turned away. His wealth let him paint without relying on a patron.

He modeled his landscapes on the Four Masters of Yuan and founded the Suzhou-based Wu school of literati painting, which set personal expression against the academic Zhe school. He is ranked first among the Four Masters of Ming.