Qiu Ying (ca. 1498-1552), At Rest with a Qin under Willow Trees, Ming dynasty, hanging scroll. Ink on paper. Height 176.2 cm, Width 89.3 cm © Shanghai Museum.

Qiu Ying (ca. 1498-1552) is also known by his zi (designated name) Shifu and hao (literary name) Shizhou. He was native to Taicang in Jiangsu. He studied under Zhou Chen, and excelled in imitating earlier works. He was adept in painting landscape, figure, and architecture, becoming one of the "Four Masters of the Ming". This large-scale ink work demonstrates unrestrained brushwork with modulated ink tones, achieving an air of leisurely elegance. It is among the finest works of the artist.