Gao Qipei (1660-1734)Gao Qipei was born in the north of China. His career was that of a high-powered civil servant in the administrations of the emperors Kangxi (1662-1722) and Yongzheng (1723-1735) of the Qing dynasty. His bureaucratic post left him plenty of time to develop his skills as a painter. By the time he was twenty Gao was searching for his own style. He found it by using his fingers rather than a brush, an idea that came to him in a dream. Using his fingertips and his entire hand he applied strokes of paint, employing his long nails for the lines. At first Gao also used a brush, but he eventually abandoned this altogether after perfecting his skill with his fingers. Gao's finger paintings of landscapes are notable for their spontaneity. |
