沈家世代隐居吴门，居苏州相城，故里和墓在今相城区阳澄湖镇。沈周的曾祖父是王蒙的好友，父亲沈恒吉，又是杜琼的学生，书画乃家学渊源。父亲、伯父都以诗文书画闻名乡里。
       沈周一生家居读书，吟诗作画，优游林泉，追求精神上的自由，蔑视恶浊的政治现实，一生未应科举，始终从事书画创作。他学识渊博，富于收藏。交游甚广，极受众望，平时平和近人，要书求画者"屦满户外"，"贩夫牧竖"向他求画，从不拒绝。甚至有人作他的赝品，求为题款，他也欣然应允。有曹太守其人，新屋落成欲图其楹庑，搜罗画家，沈周亦在其中，隶往摄之，沈周曰:"毋惊老母，旦夕往画不敢后"客人颇不平曰:"太守不知先生，何贱先生于此?渴贵游可勿往。"沈周答曰:"往役义也，岂有贱哉?谒而求免，乃贱耳。"沈周的书画流传很广，真伪混杂，较难分辨。文征明因此称他为飘然世外的"神仙中人"。
       沈周在元明以来文人画领域有承前启后的作用。他书法师黄庭坚，绘画造诣尤深，兼工山水、花鸟，也能画人物，以山水和花鸟成就突出。 在绘画方法上，沈周早年承受家学，兼师杜琼。后来博取众长，出入于宋元各家，主要继承董源、巨然以及元四家黄公望、王蒙，吴镇的水墨浅绛体系。又参以南宋李、刘、马、夏劲健的笔墨，融会贯通，刚柔并用，形成粗笔水墨的新风格，自成一家。沈周中年时成为画坛领袖，技法严谨秀丽，用笔沉着稳练，内藏筋骨。晚年时性情开朗，笔墨粗简豪放，气势雄浑。纵观沈周之绘画，技法全面，功力浑厚，在师宋元之法的基础上有自己的创造，进一步发展了文人水墨山水、花鸟画的表现技法，被誉为吴门画派之领袖。

沈周的代表作品多藏于大博物馆，故宫博物院藏有精美作品，重要的有《仿董巨山水图》轴(作于成化九年，公元1473年)、《沧州趣图》卷、《卒夷图》、《墨菜图》(这两幅原为册页，后合装成卷)、《卧游图》等。南京博物院也藏有几幅沈周精品，其中有《东庄图》、《牡丹》轴，此画作于 1506年，当时沈周已81岁。辽宁博物馆藏有两幅沈周的杰作，一幅是《盆菊幽赏图》卷，画面中树石茅亭，亭中饮酒赏菊者三人，意态优闲，布势疏朗，景物宜人。另一幅是《烟江叠嶂图》卷，作于正德二年(1507年)，笔墨之运用，随心所欲，满纸烟恋，诚属沈周82岁晚年杰作。此外，台湾故宫博物院还藏有一幅沈周极有名的《庐山高图》轴。
       沈周早年多画小画，40岁以后才画大幅绘画作品，中年画法严谨，用笔沉着，晚年笔墨豪放，气势雄强。 沈周的绘画，技艺全面，在学习前人的基础上有自己的创造。沈周的代表作品很多收藏在中国各大博物馆，北京故宫博物院收藏重要的作品有:《仿董巨山水图》轴、《沧州趣图》卷、《卒夷图》、《墨菜图》、《卧游图》等。中国南京博物院也收藏有几幅沈周精品，其中有《东庄图》、《牡丹》轴。辽宁博物馆藏有两幅沈周的杰作，一幅是《盆菊幽赏图》卷，另一幅是《烟江叠嶂图》卷，它们创作于明代正德二年(1507年)，笔墨的运用随心所欲，是沈周82岁晚年杰作。

沈周，字启南，长洲人, 工诗善画。祖澄，永乐间举人材。不就。所居曰西庄，日置酒牧宾，人拟之顾仲瑛。伯父贞吉，父恒吉，并抗隐。构有竹居，兄弟读书其中，工诗善画，臧获亦解文墨。邑人陈孟贤者，陈五经继之子也。周少从之游，得其指授。年十一，游南都，作百韵诗，上巡抚侍郎崔恭。面试《凤凰台赋》，援笔立就，恭大嗟异。及长，书无所不览。文摹左氏，诗拟白居易、苏轼、陆游，字仿黄庭坚，并为世所爱重。尤工于画，评者谓为明世第一。郡守欲荐周贤良，周筮《易》，得《遁》之九五，周决意隐遁。所居有水竹亭馆之胜，图书鼎彝充牣错列，四方名士过从无虚日，风流文彩照映一时。奉亲至孝。父没，或劝之仕，对曰:"若不知母氏以我为命耶?奈何离膝下。"居恒厌入城市，于郭外置行窝，有事一造之。晚年，匿迹惟恐不深，先后巡抚王恕、彭礼咸礼敬之，欲留幕下，并以母老辞。
       有郡有郡守征画工绘屋壁。里人疾周者，入其姓名，遂被摄。或劝周谒贵游以免，周曰:"往役，义也，谒贵游，不更辱乎!"卒供役而还。已而守入觐，铨曹问曰:"沈先生无恙乎?"守不知所对，漫应曰:"无恙。"见内阁，李东阳曰:"沈先生有牍乎?"守益愕，复漫应曰:"有而未至。"守出，仓皇谒侍郎吴宽，问"沈先生何人?"宽备言其状。询左右，乃画壁生也。比还，谒周舍，再拜引咎，索饭，饭之而去。周以母故，终身不远游。母年九十九而终，周亦八十矣。又三年，以正德四年卒。
       (译文):沈周，字启南，长洲人，善于诗画。十一岁的时候，在南都游玩，写百韵诗，交给巡抚侍郎崔恭。崔恭当面用《凤凰台赋》来试探他，挥笔而成，崔恭大为惊叹。等到长大，没有他没看过的书了。文章(模仿)左氏，诗词(模仿)白居易、苏轼、陆游，字(模仿)黄庭坚，都为世人所爱重。尤其善于画画，评论认为他是明朝第一。 郡守想推荐他为贤良，沈周决定退隐。居住的地方有水、竹、亭、馆这些胜景，图、书、鼎、(彝)(丰富的)错列其中，四方各地的名士没有一日不来往这里，风流文采辉映一时。对父母很孝顺。父亲死后，有人劝他入仕途，他说:"你不知道我的母亲拿我当命根子吗，我怎么能离开她呢。"居久了不想进入城市，在村外置房子，有事的时候过去一趟。晚年后，唯恐隐藏的不够深，先后有巡抚王恕彭礼都以礼遇敬重他，想留他做手下，都以母亲年老的借口回绝。 有郡守想征画工绘屋墙。乡里有嫉恨沈周的人，将他的姓名告诉郡守，就被抓。有人劝他去拜访贵族以免去责任，周说:"我去当仆役，还可以说是为义，去拜访贵族，岂不是更辱没我吗!"最后去工作后回家。后来郡守入宫觐见，铨曹问:"沈先生没事吧?"郡守不知道该怎么应答，随便说"没事。"见内阁大人，李东阳问他:"沈先生有牍(可能是朝臣觐见的东西)吗?"郡守更加惊讶，又敷衍说:"有但是没来。"郡守出来，仓皇去见侍郎吴宽，问他"沈先生是谁啊?"宽详细的说了他的样子。问左右的人，才知道就是画墙的先生。等到他回来，去沈周的屋子，拜见并道歉，要求吃饭，吃完回去。沈周因为母亲的缘故，终生没有远游。正德四年的时候死去。

在绘画方法上，沈周早年承受家学，兼师杜琼。后来博取众长，出入于宋元各家，后自成一家。沈周早年多作小幅，40岁以后始拓大幅，中年画法严谨细秀，用笔沉着劲练，以骨力胜，晚岁笔墨粗简豪放，气势雄强。 沈周的绘画，技艺全面，功力浑朴，在师法宋元的基础上有自己的创造，发展了文人水墨写意山水、花鸟画的表现技法，成为吴门画派的领袖。所作山水画，有的是描写高山大川，表现传统山水画的三远之景。而大多数作品则是描写南方山水及园林景物，表现了当时文人生活的幽闲意趣。
       沈周的绘画为传统山水画作出了两大贡献:其一，融南入北，弘扬了文人画的传统。如沈周的粗笔山水，用笔融进了浙派的力感和硬度，丘壑增添了守人之骨和势，将南宋的苍茫浑厚与北宗之壮丽清润融为一体，其抒发的情感也由清寂冷逸而变为宏阔平和。其二，将诗书画进一步结合起来。沈周的书法学黄庭坚，书风"遒劲奇崛"，与他的山水画苍劲浑厚十分相似、协调。他又将书法的运腕、运笔之法运用于绘画之中。沈周同时还是一个诗人，至老年"踔厉顿挫，浓郁苍老"。他把这种诗风与画格相结合，使所作之画，更具有诗情画意。

Shen Zhou (AD 1427 ~ AD 1509), outstanding Ming Dynasty painter. Word Kai Nam, No. Ishida, Shiraishi Weng, Yutian students, there are bamboo owners and so on. Han, Cheung Chau (now Jiangsu Suzhou) people. Born in Ming Xuande two years, died in Ming Zhengde four years, at the age of eighty-two (virtual eighty-three years old). Not the imperial examination, specializes in poetry, painting, is the mid-Ming literati painting "Wu School" pioneer, and Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin, Qiu Ying said "Ming four." Works handed down "Lushan high map", "Qiulin old map", "Cangzhou interesting map." Author of "Ishida set", "guest news" and so on.
Shen family seclusion Wu door, living in Suzhou City, hometown and tomb in the city of Yangcheng Lake this phase. Shen Zhou's great-grandfather is Wang Meng's friend, father Shen Hengji, is Du Qiong's students, painting is a family of origin. Father, uncle to poetry and painting known to the village.
       Shen Zhou's life at home reading, poetry and painting, excellent tour Linquan, the pursuit of spiritual freedom, contempt evil political reality, life should not be imperial examination, has always been engaged in painting and calligraphy. He is knowledgeable and rich in collections. He is very popular, very popular, usually calm and near, to call for painting "full of outdoor", "Fu husband, animal husbandry," to his paintings, never refused. Even some people for his fake, seeking for the title, he also readily agreed. Shen Zhou is also in which the Li to the photo, Shen Zhou said: "not surprised mother, after the painting to dare not dare," the guests are quite uneven, said: "I do not know the prefect, I do not know, Mr. Shen, cheap, can not go. "Shen Zhou's calligraphy and painting is widely circulated, authenticity Mixed, more difficult to distinguish. Wen Zhengming so called him as floating in the world outside the "immortal man."
       Shen Zhou in the field of literati painting since the Yuan and Ming dynasties have a bearing role. Huang Tingjian his calligraphy, painting attainments especially deep, and work landscape, flowers and birds, but also to draw characters, landscapes and flowers and birds to highlight the achievements. In the painting method, Shen Zhou early to bear the family, and teacher Du Qiong. Later won the public, access to the Song and Yuan dynasties, the main inheritance Dong Yuan, Ju Ran and the four yuan Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, Wu Zhen ink ink system. And also to the Southern Song Li, Liu, Ma, Xia Jinjian's pen and ink, mastery, rigid and soft with the formation of a new style of ink brush, self-contained. Shen Zhou became a painting leader in middle age, strict and beautiful techniques, with a steady pen calm, containing bones. In his later years when the temperament cheerful, crude and simple bold bold, powerful momentum. Throughout the Shen Zhou painting, technique comprehensive, skillful, in the division on the basis of the Song and Yuan Dynasties have their own creation, and further development of the literati landscape painting, painting techniques, known as the leader of Wu school.