Gao Kegong
1248–1310 · Chinese landscape painter of the Yuan dynasty
Gao Kegong (1248–1310) was a Chinese painter, and occasionally a poet, born during the Yuan dynasty and known mainly for his landscapes. His work sits at the meeting point of Han artistic traditions and the contributions of other peoples within the empire, which gives him a distinctive place in the painting of his time.
His training rested on the study of earlier masters. He is especially associated with Mi Fu and his son Mi Youren, whose influence was decisive in his handling of landscape. He also studied Dong Yuan, Ju Ran, Wang Tingyun and Li Cheng, from whom he drew compositional and formal resources.
He was a good friend and colleague of Zhao Mengfu, sharing artistic concerns during a period of intense painting activity. From 1300 he served the government as an assistant minister at the Ministry of Works, a administrative post he combined with his work as a painter.
His legacy lies in the continuity of Yuan-dynasty landscape painting, where his synthesis of influences remained a reference for later artists.