Chen Shu

Chen Shu (; 1660–1735) was a female Chinese painter during the early Qing dynasty. She was born in Xiuzhou (now Jiaxing) and was also known by the courtesy name Nanlou and her literary names "Shangyuan Dizi" and "Nanlou Laoren". She is considered the first female painter of Qing dynasty as well as the inaugurator of Xiushui School painting style. Apart from her artistic works, she was also known as the mother of Qing statesman and poet Qian Chenqun (:zh:钱陈群). After the early death of her husband, Chen raised her son by herself. When the latter became a prominent statesman in the court of the Qianlong Emperor, he introduced the emperor to his mother's paintings. Through this avenue she became favored by Qianlong, and many of her works were featured in the imperial collection (today in both the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Palace Museum in Taipei). Chen painted figures, landscapes, and flower-and-bird paintings. Biography Her son's biography portrays Chen Shu as an "exemplar of Confucian virtue." In his Biography, Qian Chenqun describes his mother's success in the art world, the cultivation of her talent, and her artistic influence over the next generations of her husband's family. Her skills, he claimed, were from "her distinguished heredity, fine upbringing, and a bit of divine intervention." He further describes the supernatural events leading to her interest and success in the field of art. Her son also noted her works of charity by helping to feed the poor, as well as her ability to add wealth to her family through her art, which made her an example of a good Confucian wife. Early life Chen Shu was born into an elite family in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. Having an artist as a father, she was able to self-study in painting as a young girl. Due to mixed feelings about women's education at the time, education was available to only a few women of the elite. Unaccepting of traditional female roles of the time, Chen Shu pursued the arts and classics rather than other more “feminine” interests. In some cases during this time, men preferred a well-educated wife who not only could relate to her husband's interests but also could educate their children. Chen Shu was able to help her family by selling her paintings for profits and being a teacher to her children. She even took on a few disciples from her family to tutor in painting, one of whom was Qian Weicheng who later achieved renown in his own right.