贺天健，字健叟，别号纫香居士，生于清光绪十七年(1891年).4岁人塾读书。幼年喜欢绘画，9岁从邑人孙云泉学肖像画，10岁时有机会临摹明代沈周、文徵明等书画大家的山水画，16岁时就画出巨幅卷轴“石门摩崖”民国 3年(1914年)，他担任无锡积馀小学国文教员兼美术教员.后寄寓上海，专门从事绘画艺术创作和研究，曾主编《画学月刊》，并与黄宾虹等编印《国画月刊》，将当代的国画名作汇编成《中国现代名画汇刊》出版。他临摹了中国历代各派名画，走遍了祖国的名山大川，进行实地写生，创作出《黄山深处》、《善卷下洞》等作品。贺天健被聘为北京中央美术学院民族美术研究所研究员。1956年任上海中国画院副院长。其作品《东风吹到好江山》参加世界美术博览会，获一等奖。1960年，他被丹麦康纳美术家协会聘为会员。1962年在丹麦举行个人画展，丹麦美术界誉之为“水墨画大师”。

 1907年 考入苏州单级教员养习所。

1909年 以书画为业，曾任中华书局图画编辑、上海民国第一图书局筹备处编辑部国画教授、无锡积余高等学校国文教员兼美术教员。

1910年 去南京求学，后转至上海，进中华书局任编辑员。翌年考入南洋中学，并在民国第一图画局从事绘画。

1914年 任无锡积馀小学国文教员兼美术教员。翌年寄寓上海，专事画艺创作和研究。

1915年 在上海从事书画艺术的创作和研究。

1920年 在无锡创办锡山书画会。

1921年 和友人创办无锡美术专科学校。曾任南京美专、上海美专、无锡美专国画教授，中国画会主任委员。主编《画学月刊》、《国画月刊》。

1923年 被推为中国画会主任委员，主编《画学月刊》，编印《国画月刊》，出版《中国现代名画汇刊》。

1924年 和1926年，与胡汀鹭等先后创办无锡美专和锡山书画社。

1929年 又与人在沪组织蜜蜂画社。期间曾在无锡、南京和上海美术专科学校、昌明艺术专科学校任教。

1942年 主编出版《中国现代名画汇刊》。

1953年 任中央美术学院民族美术研究所研究员。

1956年 任上海画院副院长。

1959年 创作国画《九皇山梅山水库》，参加社会主义国家造型艺术展览。作品《东风吹到好江山》参加世界美术博览会荣获一等奖。为人民大会堂创作巨幅《河清万里图》。着有《学画山水自述》一书，并出版《贺天健画集》多种。

1960年 受聘为丹麦康纳美术家协会会员。

32岁后任无锡、南京艺专和上海美专山水画教授，并主编过《画学月刊》、《国画月刊》。解放后曾任中国民族美术研究所研究员，上海文史馆馆员，西泠印社社员，中国美术家协会理事、中国美协上海分会副主席，上海中国画院副院长，丹麦康纳画会会员，上海中国书法篆刻研究会会员。

1962年 在丹麦举办个人画展，被誉为“水墨画大师”。

1977年4月2日 病逝于上海。

 在近代山水大家中，能以画者态度画画的除了张大千，还有贺天健。这里的所谓的“画者”指的是对于画理孜孜不倦的求索或者曰：用脑画画也。而同样身为“画者”，张大千凭借的是纵横的才气，而贺氏则是自发的对于画理的思辨。

贺氏很早就认识到了学山水画和学画山水之间的区别，为此贺氏提出了山水画与现实之中的真山水有着本质的不同。

“世界上有三个山水境地：一是人世间的山水实境，一是唐宋历代诗里的山水境地，一是画里边的山水境地。”最初的贺天健认为人世间的山水始终没有诗画之中的山水好，为了证实这一点，他曾多处寻觅与诗画中相似的山水实境。

后来的贺天健因着“四王”一派的画家常在画上题写临仿抚拟某家笔意，而究溯根源，直上追宋元后，才恍然大悟“才知道宋元人的画所以好，是从真山真水里去学来的”于是，又改变了对真山真水的看法，以“师法造化”来要求自己。

贺天健对于画学的理性思辨，一方面可以从他的课徒稿中认识：从唐至清，一代一代系统的演变；将真实山石与古本名作加以对照。另一方面也体现在他教学生画山水的独特思路：贺天健在教学生临摹临本的时候，往往给学生挑选不清楚的印本临，因为贺氏认为如果临清楚的临本，临的人不要动脑筋了，就不能发现问题。一定要有了矛盾而后有解决的机会，学生在这时也用得着老师的帮助。

贺氏的书风早年学赵子昂的小楷体，颇为精工整饬，廿三岁后改写龙门十二品、张猛龙碑、张黑女碑，直至三十七岁后又开始改习褚河南、虞世南、李北海。

有人评价贺天健的画是豪迈、英爽、秀劲、逸宕、精奇、伟丽，在近代书画史上可以说是一位真正的大家。

 综观贺天健的艺术特色，不妨可概述为两点：
　　一是长于笔墨，画重思辨。
　　笔墨语言的个性与所谓画重思辨，可称得上是贺天健较为独特的才情特色所在。
　　民国中期之后的海上画坛，称得上画学研究家兼画家的，当时有三杰，即黄宾虹、贺天健和郑午昌。这三人都是著论等身，都曾身兼刊物主编、理论作家和画家等多重身份，又精研画史画理，并付诸实践。但细细评来，黄宾虹虽重理论，但他的画理事实上是为他的创作实践服务的，即画为主，论为辅，本着一贯执著的“笔墨”精神，他形成了带较强主观色彩的史论观点和评判标准。真正做到对中国传统山水画史条分缕析、类聚群分而择善从流，同时又将每一时期的画理所得整理归纳、相辅相成地应用于自身绘画进步的，贺天健堪称为最。
　　二是恢弘高迈的美学境界。
　　贺天健重视师法造化，但并非一般意义上的“搜尽奇峰打草稿”，他更看重吴道子“臣无粉本，并记于心”和顾恺之“迁想妙得”这两句名言。他看真山水，便是精深透彻地看，将眼前丘壑并记于心，而不是为画而画的态度，一见东西就画，画完就忘的那种。这种现场默记，而培养胸襟，启发心机，能“迁想”、“移情”于日后创作的功夫，是贺天健自20岁后一直坚持的“课业”。所以，无论是贺天健自行创稿，还是课徒授学，他都是把写生山水、培养胸襟而拨动画机作为实践经验中重要的一环。而在他晚年的创作谈中，曾引用庄子的“用志不纷，乃凝于神”来说明凝神领会造化精神对国画创作更深层的重要性。
　　在近现代海上画坛，虽然同样取法元四家，贺天健所具备的那种深约宏美、沉郁雄奇的格调，可说与吴湖帆等典型南宗文人画家在气质风格上大相径庭。

 He Tianjian, the word Jian sou, alias sewing lay incense, born seventeen years Guangxu (1891).4 year olds school reading. Childhood love painting, 9 years old from the Yi people Sun Yunquan portrait, at the age of 10 have the opportunity to copy the Ming Dynasty Shen Zhou and Wen Zhiming painting all the landscape painting, at the age of 16 to draw a huge scroll "Shimen cliff" in 3 years (1914), he served as the Wuxi primary school Chinese teachers and other product art teacher. As Shanghai, specializing in the art of painting creation and research, the editor of "painting" and "painting published monthly, monthly" with Huang Binhong, the compilation of contemporary painting masterpieces into modern paintings of "China" published. He copied Chinese ancient factions paintings, all over the country are well-known mountains and rivers, field sketching, creation of "Mount Huangshan", "deep hole" and other works under the lake. He Tianjian was hired as a research fellow at the National Institute of fine arts, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing. In 1956, Shanghai Chinese academy vice president. His work, "the east wind blow to the good river" to participate in the world art fair, won the first prize. In 1960, he was hired by the Danish Connor Artists Association as a member. 1962 in Denmark held a personal exhibition, the Danish art world as a master ink painting".

In 1907, he was admitted to the Suzhou Institute of teacher support.

In 1909 painting industry, served as picture editor, Zhonghua Book Bureau Shanghai Preparatory Office of the first editorial department of Chinese painting, Wuxi University Professor Ji Yu Chinese teacher and art teacher.

In 1910 to study in Nanjing, then in Shanghai, served as the editor in Chinese publishing house. The following year admitted to Nanyang middle school, and in the first picture agency engaged in painting.

1914, Wuxi area primary school Chinese teacher art teacher and rest. The following year ignited Shanghai, specializing in art creation and research.

The creation and research of painting and calligraphy art in Shanghai in 1915.

1920 in Xishan, the founder of the Wuxi painting and calligraphy.

1921 and friends founded the Wuxi Academy of fine arts. He was a professor of Nanjing Academy of fine arts, Shanghai art college, Wuxi Academy of fine arts painting, painting China chairman. Editor in chief "the monthly magazine of painting", "Chinese Painting Monthly".

In 1923 pushed for the China painting director, editor of "painting" magazine published monthly "," traditional Chinese painting "," painting of modern publishing China.

In 1924 and 1926, and Hu Ting heron, has founded Wuxi Academy of fine arts and Calligraphy Society of Xishan.

In 1929 with the people in Shanghai bees ". During the period of Wuxi, Nanjing and taught in the Shanghai School of fine arts, flourishing art school.

In 1942 the editor of the publication of "modern" paintings of China.

1953 as the National Fine Arts Institute of China Central Academy of Fine Arts researcher.

In 1956, the vice president of Shanghai painting academy.

In 1959 the creation of Chinese painting "Nine Emperor," in mountain reservoir, socialist country art exhibition. Works "the east wind blows to the good country" to participate in the world art fair to win the first prize. The Great Hall of the people for the creation of a huge "Heqing miles map". There is a landscape painting "readme" books, and published the "He Tianjian album" variety.

In 1960, he was a member of the Danish Connor Artists Association.

At the age of 32, he served as Wuxi Nanjing academy and Shanghai Academy of fine arts professor of landscape painting, and edited "painting", "painting" monthly magazine. After the liberation of former China of National Art Institute, Shanghai museumlibrarian, Xiling Seal-Engravers'Society members, Chinese Artists Association, China Artists Association vice chairman of the Shanghai branch, Shanghai Chinese academy vice president Connor, the Danish Painting Association, member of Shanghai Chinese calligraphy will.

1962 in Denmark held a solo exhibition, known as the master of ink painting".

April 2, 1977 died in Shanghai.

Everyone in modern landscape, with painting painting attitude in addition to Zhang Daqian, and he tonge. Here the so-called "art" refers to the painting theory diligently pursuit or brain paint also said. And the same as the "draw", Zhang Daqian is based on the aspect of talent, but he is spontaneous to draw reasonable thinking.

He was early to recognize the difference between landscape painting and landscape painting school, therefore Hayes proposed landscape painting and the reality of the real landscape are essentially different.

"There are three landscape situation of the world: one is the landscape of reality, a poem in Tang and Song Dynasty landscape painting is a position inside the landscape." First he Tianjian hold all landscape poem. The landscape has not been good, in order to prove this point, he had many looking for similar landscape poetry and painting in reality.

By "and" a painter He Tianjian later wrote in the painting often imitated a quasi fu styles, and the back straight roots, chasing the song, "I know people only see light suddenly painting song so good, so is from the true mountain water to learn to" change the true mountain water views, to their own requirements to "learning from nature".

He Tianjian for painting rational thinking, one can know from his class and release from Tang Zhiqing, the evolution of generation system; real rocks and ancient masterpieces to be controlled. On the other hand is also reflected in the way he taught students in landscape painting: He Tianjian to copy when teaching students, students tend to choose this unclear pro, because Hayes believes that if Pro clear to the people, do not use their brains, cannot find problems. There must be a contradiction and have the opportunity to resolve the students at this time also need the help of the teacher.

The early Zhao Ziang Hayes Book wind small italics, quite Seiko straighten, 23 after rewriting Longmen twelve products, Zhang Menglong monument, Zhang Heinv monument, until after the age of thirty-seven began to change, Yu Shinan, Li Beihai, Xi Chu Henan.

Some evaluation he Tianjian painting is bold, bright and brave, show strength, Yidang, odd, in the history of modern painting velly, can be said to be a real you.

A comprehensive overview of the art characteristics of the new, may be summarized as two points:

One is longer than the pen and ink, painting heavy speculation.

The so-called painting ink language personality and heavy speculation, can be regarded as the new talent more unique characteristics of tonge.

The Republic of China after the middle of the sea called painting, painting research home and painter, was three, namely Huang Binhong, he and Zheng Wuchang tonge. These three people are so on, have a journal editor, writer and painter in theory of multiple identities, and finishing painting history and theory, and put into practice. But careful review, although Huang Binhong theory, but his painting is in fact for the practice of his creative services, namely painting primarily on complementary, persistent spirit has always been the "ink" spirit, he formed with strong subjective history viewpoint and evaluation standard. Truly the Chinese traditional landscape painting, and to Leijuqunfen Tiaofenlvxi from the stream, and each period of the painting summarized and complementary application in his painting progress, he called the tonge.

Two is the aesthetic realm of grand gomez.

He Tianjian attention learning from nature, but is not a general sense of "do search Qifeng scratch", he valued Wu Daozi Chen and the powderless, recorded in the heart "and" Gu move would result in "the two words. He really is the landscape, deep thorough, and remember in front of mountain, and not for the painting and painting attitude, see things on the painting, you forget that. This site by cultivating mind, inspire efforts, can "move to", "Empathy" in the days after the creation of Kung Fu, he is Tonge has persisted since after the age of 20 "lessons". So, whether it is he or his own creative draft, or class teaching, he is the sketch landscape, and the training of the mind and the animation machine as an important part of practical experience. But in his later creation, cited Chuang-tzu's "will not come, condensate to God" to explain and understand the spirit of Chinese painting creation with deeper importance.

Painting in the modern sea, although the same was four yuan, He Tianjian has the kind of deep about Acer America, gloomy magnificent style, say Wu Hufan and other typical southern literati painters in temperament style be quite different.