Snow Boat Study

Xue Zhou is a great master in the history of Japanese water and ink paintings. In 1467, Xue Zhou began his study in Ming dynasty of China. From the age Lian-chang to Shi-ding of Japan, in more than two hundred years, he was the first famous Japanese painter to study in China. Although he studied in China for about two years only, the beautiful scenery and elegant, fascinating skills in the water and ink paintings stimulated his inspiration. He learned the spirit and soul of Chinese water and ink paintings. After Xue Zhou returned to Japan from his study trip in China, he observed and studied nature as a "folk painter". He described and displayed nature with the style and skill of Chinese water and ink paintings in Song and Yuan dynasty. Furthermore, he combined the real scene of nature with his emotions, created a large number of excellent realistic works. With more people followed his skill, his style formed gradually. As the most important conveyer of Song Yuan paintings, he did innumerous contribution to Chinese culture and arts oversea spreading, as well as painting culture exchanging between China and Japan. Through tens of years' hard and creative work, Xue Zhou founded a new style of Japanese water and ink paintings at his late age, which created a new era in this field. With this great achievement, he became the greatest painter of Japan in the 15^th century.