literati painting; Southern School painting
Refers to a style of Chinese-influenced ink painting associated with scholar-amateurs, emphasizing personal expression over realistic depiction. In Japanese art history, it is often contrasted with professional painting styles.
He went to China to study the techniques of literati painting.
This hanging scroll is a masterpiece of Edo-period literati painting.
From Chinese 文人畫 (wénrénhuà), literally 'literati painting'. The term entered Japanese through art historical discourse.