Tang Yin is one of the four great painters of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). He is also among the artists who viewed Zhao a major source of inspiration, and his works are also displayed at the Palace Museum's exhibition.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Tang Yin is one of the four great painters of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). He is also among the artists who viewed Zhao a major source of inspiration, and his works are also displayed at the Palace Museum's exhibition.

The painting bears calligraphic postscripts composed by Zhu Yunming and Wen Zhengming. The two artists and Tang are among the four literati from Wuzhong, now a part of Suzhou, in Jiangsu province. Li says the three artists' collaboration on this painting also indicates Yuequan's prominent social standing.

The painting shows a figure sitting on the ground, gazing at the lake before him. Li says the figure could be Yuequan himself, because the painting reflects a social trend in the mid-Ming era when learned dignitaries commissioned paintings that either showed the landscapes of where they lived or portrayed themselves in their ideal environments.

The upcoming auction will also feature a mountain-and-water painting by 17th-century painter Kun Can. He is hailed as one of the four monk artists of the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), along with Zhu Da, Hong Ren and Shi Tao. Earlier this year, the Palace Museum held an exhibition devoted to their accomplishments.