書畫藝術在台灣之生根茁壯，與漢人在台經略息息相關。鄭成功（1624－1662年），持反清復明之大纛，以臺南為政治中心，是漢人政經文化在臺經營之發端。寧靖王朱術桂(1617─1683年)為明太祖九世孫，長陽王之次支。鄭成功去世後，鄭經迎接乃攜眷來台。鄭成功少年時曾入南京國子監求學，朱術桂則有王室的成長背景，其書法皆承襲了晚明之時代性。晚年於善化活動的明末清初文學家沈光文（世稱「海東文獻初祖」，較鄭成功早十年渡台）以外，「明鄭遺墨」是其兩人在臺書畫的歷史定位，也是書畫在臺灣如今所能溯源之一。

That the arts of painting and calligraphy were rooted and prospered in Taiwan was deeply associated with the Han people’s management and administration in Taiwan. Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662) upheld the banner of fighting Qing dynasty and recovering Ming dynasty, building Tainan as a capital and initiating Han people’s administration of economy, politics, and culture in Taiwan. Ninging King Zhu Shu-gui (1617-1683) was the ninth generation grandchild of Mingtaizu, and was genealogically subordinated to Changya King. After Zheng Chenggong passed away, Zheng Jing brought him as well as his family to Taiwan. Zheng Chenggong had studied in the academic institution of Nanjing, and Zhu Shu-gui came from a royal background. So, the calligraphy of these two persons was characteristic of the era of late Ming dynasty. Besides Shen Guangwen, a literary expert, who was active in Shanhua as an old man during the period between late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasty (commonly called “the starter of the Haidong historical documents, and he settled in Taiwan ten years earlier than Zheng Chenggong).

閩習是臺灣清治時期的一種水墨畫風格。閩習的主要風格即是「狂放不羈」，多數學者認為閩習是受到福建籍畫家黃慎的影響而形成的畫風。林朝英、林覺、莊敬夫等清治台灣畫家即為此畫風之代表人物。活動於乾隆至道光年間，在臺灣書畫藝術養成與發展的階段，呈現書畫藝術文人化與世俗化的面貌。尤其林朝英為臺灣書畫第一人，畫風承襲明代徐渭的大寫意筆墨，林覺為最傑出的職業畫家，可稱做「揚州八怪」之一的福建畫家黃慎的臺灣最佳代言人，至於武舉人莊敬夫，強化筆鋒的狂狷之氣，他以松鹿題材為主，已被藝術史學者謝忠恆證實藝術淵源來自福建畫家楊舟，三人於不同的情境和職業背景，各展現其詮釋的閩習風格。

Minxi was a style of water ink painting in Taiwan of Qing dynasty. The main feature of this style was “crazy, open, and free.” Most of the scholars believed that Minxi had been influenced and formed by Huang Shen, a painter of Fujiang province. Lin Chao-ying, Zhuang Jingfu and Lin Jue could be said to be represent this style of painting in Taiwan of Qing dynasty. The style flourished during Qianlong years to Daoguang years. In terms of the stage of the cultivation and development of the art of Taiwanese calligraphy and paintings, their arts had shown forth the facets of literary men and secularization.

咸豐初年，謝琯樵(1811─1864)，與呂世宜(1784─1859)、葉化成(1812─？) 於林本源家族在大嵙崁（大溪）時期受林本源家族之邀，前來講學，三人合稱「林家三先生」，謝琯樵後因公務至噶瑪蘭（宜蘭）會見通判楊承澤，可能與協助處理械鬥內亂有關。其中呂世宜為臺灣金石學導師，而謝琯樵與臺南關係最密切，三人前後為林家座上賓。

In the early years of the Xianfeng period, on the Da Kekan (Da Xi) stage of the Lin Benyuan family, Lv Shi-yi (1784-1859), Xie Guanqiao (1811-1864), and Ye Huacheng (1812--?) were invited to teach in Taiwan. So they used to be called “three gentlemen of the Lin family.” Afterwards, Xie Guanqiao was on an official business trip to Yilan to meet a local official Yang Chengze, perhaps for dealing with something related to rebellion and violent fighting. And t Lv Shi-yi was a mentor of Taiwanese epigraphy. And Xie Guanqiao was closely connected to Taiwan. Three of them had been sequentially prestigious guests of the Lin family.

謝琯樵在臺灣的精華時期，為咸豐七年（1857）至臺南，主要造訪吳尚霑「宜秋山館」和海東書院「脩竹山館」並擔任講席8，咸豐八年（1858）全臺名紳聯名為臺南首富石時榮祝壽，因琯樵書〈石芝圃八十壽屏〉，再度受林本源家族之邀北上至板橋，後移居艋舺青山宮，又客新竹潛園、霧峰林家，書畫藝術推廣與影響遍及全臺，可惜同治三年(1864)入霧峰林文察（福建陸路提督）戎幕，十二月在進剿太平軍時，殉難於福建萬松關之役。日本學者尾崎秀真著《清朝時代之台灣》稱：「臺灣流寓名士，於文余推周凱，詩推楊雪滄，書推呂西村，畫推謝琯樵。」可見謝琯樵對臺灣書畫之貢獻和受重視的程度。

Xie Guanqiao travelled to Tainan in the best years of Taiwan, that is, the seventh year of Xianfen (1857) with the main purpose of visiting Wu Shang Zhan’s “Autumn mountain building,” and “Bamboo mountain building” of Haidong College, and teaching there. In the eighth year of Xianfen, Taiwanese celebrities hosted a birthday party for Shi Shirong, the richest man in Tainan. At that time, Guanqiao wrote “Shixipu eighty birthday celebration plate,” so he was again invited by the Lin family to Banqiao, and then moved to the mountain residence of Mengja, and then temporality lived in Qian garden of Xingzu, and the Lin family of Wufen. Therefore, in terms of painting and calligraphy, he was influential all over Taiwan. However, unfortunately, he was recruited to the military camp of Wufen Lin Wenchai in the third year of Tongze (1864). He thus died in the battle field of Fujian Wansongguan when his army fought the peace army in December. According to Taiwan in Qing Dynasty by a Japanese scholar, “Among celebrities in Taiwan, Choukai is top in writing; Yang Xiecang is top in poetry; Lv Xichun is top in calligraphy; Xie Guanqiao is top in painting.” So, it can be seen that Xie Guanqiao’s contribution to Taiwanese painting and calligraphy is highly recognized and recommended.

早期臺灣書畫發展，由來臺之陸籍官員、佐幕與遊臺人士組成居多，博學儒雅以詩文、書法見稱，連橫《雅言》：「清代宦遊之士，大多能詩能書。」其中更不乏有擅畫水墨四君子、花鳥、人物、走獸等題材。
明清二代，臺南為臺灣政經文化中心，是任職、公參、遊歷、鬻畫必經之地。乾隆至嘉慶之間，旅臺的書畫家主要有：蔣允焄、楊開鼎、朱景英、謝曦、蔣元樞、柯輅、武隆阿、郭尚先、楊廷理、姚瑩等人。道光至光緒則以：周凱、曹瑾、王得祿、謝琯樵、呂世宜、葉化成、許筠、林占梅、沈葆禎、吳魯等人。

The development of paintings and calligraphy in the early period of Taiwan was mainly propped up by mainland officials, officers, and visitors, most of whom were gentle and knowledgeable, and good at calligraphy. According to Good Words by Lian Heng, “Visiting officials of Qing dynasty were mostly good poetry and writing.” Among them, there were experts specializing in painting water ink four gentlemen, flower and bird, people, animals and the like.

其中：
官宦人士如：周 凱，任職福建興泉永道、臺灣道。楊開鼎，任巡臺監察御史，兼理學政。楊廷理，任臺灣南路海防兼理番同知、臺灣道按察使、臺灣知府。柯輅，任嘉義縣學訓導。孫爾準，曾巡閱臺灣，奏請增闢港口。胡國榮，任臺灣知縣等。
佐幕名士如：魯琪光，道光十八年佐幕陳懋烈兵備臺灣，以及林家三先生之一的謝琯樵等。
遊歷臺南者如：林 紓，於光緒中遊臺南府。吳 魯，三度遊臺，曾館於磚仔橋吳氏等。

Among them, officials: Zhou Kai, an official in Fujian and Taiwan. Yang Kaitin, in the positon of a watchdog official for Taiwan, and also involved in educational administration. Yang Tinli, in the position of an official for seaside safety, and a high-ranking official in the Taiwanese government. Ke Lo, working as a director in Jaiyi County. Sun Erzun, ever visiting and supervising Taiwan, and reporting to build a new harbor. Hu Kuojun, in the position of a magistrate in Taiwan.
Officers and celebrities such as: Lu Chikuan, in the eighteenth year of Daokuan, working in the military camp of Chen Molie safeguarding Taiwan. And Xie Guanqiao, one of the three gentlemen of the Lin family.
Travelers to Taiwan such as: Lin Yu, visiting Tainan during the years of Guangxu. Wu Lu, visiting Taiwan three times, staying at the residence of the Wu family in Zhuanzichiao.


指墨繪畫於清代高其佩受到大力發揚，以指代筆的創作含有表演藝術，易於民間與文人所接受，從題材畫科之生活功能與實用性，為大眾藝術表現形式之一，或云筆墨外之餘技，即文人藝術以外之書畫應用，雅俗共賞更加貼近基層生活。
甘國寶福建古田人，康熙四十八年（1709）生，乾隆四十一年卒（1776）。雍正武進士，曾任福建臺臺灣鎮總兵。武將出生，雅好文墨，擅指畫，工畫虎。
葉文舟，生年不詳，道光七年卒(1827)。字晴帆號藕香，福建海澄人，乾隆丙午(1786)舉人。歷任連江、晉江、嘉義縣學教論，晚年寓臺郡。擅指墨，松柏尤長。陳邦選字寶谷，一字仲子，號怡卿，或號得青，福建廈門人。嘉、道間鬻藝臺南，後至磺溪娶柯氏遂居彰化。同治初，載藝至新竹潛園數月；復應北郭園聘，范耀庚等師事之。臺南指畫三家之背景，羅網武將、文人與畫家，亦藝壇佳話。

Finger painting had been greatly promoted by Gao Qipei of Qing dynasty. The artistic creation of replacing pens with fingers is more or less a performance, and easily acceptable for the common people and literary men. And in terms of the living function and practicality of the painting materials, it can be called one type of public art, or an extended branch of pens and ink. For it is an application of the art of the literary men, it is grass-rooted, and enjoyed by all walks of society. Gan Guobao, born in Kutien of Fujian province in the 48th year of Kanxi (1709), and passed away in the 41st year of Qianlun (1776). Awarded a positon of a military officer in the years of Yongzhen, he had served as a commander in Taiwan, Fujian. With a background of a military officer, he enjoyed literature and ink, is good at finger painting, especially in drawing tigers.

Ye Wenchou, birthday unknown, died in the seventh year of Daokuan (1827). He was also called Chinfan or Yuxiang, born in Haicheng of Fujian province. With an official qualification of Juren in the years of Qianlong (1786), he had ever served as an instructor in Lienjiang, Jinjiang, and Jiayi County. He resided in Taijuan when he was old. He was good at finger painting, especially in drawing pine trees. Chen Banxian, also called Baoku or Zhongzi or Yiching, or Deching, was born in Xiamen of Fujian province. He earned a living by arts in Tainan during Qing dynasty, marrying a woman surnamed Ke and moving to Zhanghua. In the early years of Tongzi, he had been in Qian Garden in Xinzhu for the sake of art for months, and then recruited by Beikuo Garden, he taught art to students including Fan Yaoken. As to the background of three masters of Tainan, they had been a military officer, literary man, and painter, respectively. This turned out to be a wonderful episode in the history of art.