Fan Kuan, a native of Huayuan (now Yaozhou District, Tongchuan, Shaanxi province), was a prominent master landscapist in the ‘Northern School’ in the Northen Song Dynasty. Fan Kuan, along with Dong Yuan and Li Cheng, is collectively known as the ‘Three Masters of the Northern Song’.

In his early years, Fan Kuan studied from Jing Hao and Li Cheng. Later, he realized the importance of ‘learning from nature rather than ancient masters’, leading him to reside for an extended period in locations such as Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan in Shaanxi province. By closely observing the subtle changes in natural environment -clouds, mist, moonlight, and winds, he infused these experiences into his landscape painting. Fan Kuan vividly depicted the majestic and vigorous landscapes of towering mountains and rugged old trees in dense forests in the Northern region. His brushwork, characterized by powerful and short strokes (later known as "raindrop texture"), effectively conveyed the texture and appearance of rocks. The mountains in his paintings stand tall and imposing, exuding a formidable and overwhelming presence.

His legacy resonated through the ages, shaping the trajectory of Chinese landscape painting for generations. Almost all landscape paintings during the Southern Song Dynasty were deeply influenced by the style of Fan Kuan. Subsequent artists, including the "Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty," Tang Yin of the Ming Dynasty, the "Jinling School" of the Qing Dynasty, and modern masters like Huang Binhong, were all impacted by Fan Kuan's artistic style.