Gao Kegong

Eldest of five sons in a family of Muslim Uygur descent. His father was a Confucian scholar who taught him the classics and prepared him for government service. Gao worked in the Yuan government in various capacities including governor and minister of justice from the age of 27. He was acquainted with painters of the period such as Zhao Mengfu and Li Zhongfang. His painting style was derived from the literati tradition of the Northern Song period.