Although predominantly associated with the Northern School of painting, Pu Ru was in actual fact, a versatile painter who incorporated many diverse styles of painting, especially those he had encountered in the imperial collection. Pu began painting by imitating the orthodox styles of the Four Wangs of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). From there, he progressed to the Northern School of landscape painting of the Southern Song period (1127-1279).The majestic mountains of northern China is captured here by using architectonic forms. Two scholars gaze at a waterfall in the foreground, while a pavilion in the middleground beckons the viewer to travel upwards into the landscape.
