Xue Susu

Xue Susu was active during a time considered an age of talented women. She was a famous courtesan in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, and was considered one of the Eight Famous Courtesans of the Ming. According to her contemporaries, she excelled in painting orchids, narcissus, and bamboo, writing poetry and calligraphy, and shooting a bow and arrow on horseback. Her painting skill is often likened to the renowned Ming-dynasty painter Chen Chun (1483-1544).