相传伟性戆直，有气岸而豪放，尝遇庞老人击石得髓，伟饮其半，遂以画名。成国朱公延至幕下，以小仙呼之，因以为号。宪宗时待诏仁智殿，好剧饮狎妓，人欲得伟画者，则载酒携妓往。一日被诏正醉，中官扶掖入殿，命作松泉图。伟跪翻墨汁，信手涂抹，宪宗叹曰：“真仙笔也。”又孝宗命画称旨，授锦衣百户，赐印章曰“画状元”。画人物出自吴道子，纵笔不甚经意，而奇逸潇洒动人，山水树石俱作斧劈皴。白描尤佳。
       尝游杏花村酒渴，从老妪索茗，隔年复过之，老妪已谢世。援笔追写其像，其子见之大恸，乞而藏之。又尝饮友人家，酒间作画，戏取莲房濡墨印纸上数处，莫测其用意，忽起纵笔挥洒成捕蟹图，最为神妙。孝宗喜马、夏画风，而画院戴进、吴伟均承继马、夏，成为一时风尚，号为“浙派”。吴伟亦号“江夏派”。其后吴派既盛，浙派渐归澌灭。他最后一次被召是武宗即位时，未就道而因饮酒过量醉死，享年仅五十岁。

吴伟是江夏人，父亲早逝，年幼时被湖广布政使钱昕收养，来到江苏常熟。吴伟从小就流露出绘画天赋，7岁时画了一幅画，并题字：“白头一老子，骑驴去饮水。岸上蹄踏蹄，水中嘴对嘴。”令老师十分惊讶。后来，吴伟的画名逐渐传开。17岁时，他闯荡南京，受到成国公朱仪赏识。朱仪惊呼吴伟为小仙人，从此，吴伟便以“小仙”为号。
       吴伟曾3次被皇帝召见。1480年，20岁出头的吴伟来到北京，明宪宗召见了他，并赐予他锦衣卫镇抚的职位，以及“画状元”印章，任职于画院。据省博物馆保管部副主任王晓钟介绍，授锦衣卫的武官官职给画家，是明代画院特有的怪现象。
       吴伟擅长画人物山水，时常绘制巨大的山水画卷。省博物馆收藏的《雪渔图》是吴伟的巨作，画面高245厘米，宽156厘米，是省博物馆收藏的绢本中最大的一件。《雪渔图》描绘了港湾渔民冒雪捕鱼的情景，人物姿态各异，线条精细，山水则笔墨淋漓，气势恢宏。《雪渔图》是汉口近代著名收藏家徐行可的收藏，其后代于1960年将这幅画捐献给了省博物馆。《雪渔图》曾代表省博物馆，作为精品书画远赴美国参展。而当年的吴伟虽获皇帝赏识，但却有个致命的弱点，就是贪杯。甚至被皇帝传唤去作画时，也喝得酩酊大醉。他这种放荡不羁的性格与复杂的宫廷格格不入，最终被免去了画院的职务。

善画水墨写意、人物、山水。取法南宋画院体格，笔墨恣肆，神韵俱足，为明代中叶创新画家。早年画法比较工细，中年后变为苍劲豪放、泼墨淋漓一格。吴伟是戴进之后的“浙派”名将，追随者众，形成兴盛一时浙派山水中的“江夏派”。
       画法与戴进相似。精山水，落笔健壮，最长于白描人物。时与杜堇、沈周、郭翊齐名。用笔奔放，画时泼墨如云，旁观者骇，巨细曲折，各有条理，人皆为之叹服。传其画法的有蒋嵩、张路、宋臣、蒋贵、宋澄春、王仪等，被称为“江夏派”。代表作品有：《采芝图》、《仙踪侣鹤图》、《芝仙图》、《溪山渔艇图》以及白描《人物图》、《神仙图》等。

Wu Wei (1459-1508), the Ming Dynasty famous painter, word times Weng, and the words of Britain, Luf, Xiaoxian. Jiangxia (now Wuhan, Hubei Province), the painting hall to be Chao, filial piety when granted 100 Jinwei and given "painting champion" seal. (Now Changshu, Jiangsu), adopted in the money Xin home, with his son read, when stealing ink, painting the landscape of people like the money see the odd, said: "If the painter Yeah?" And pen thickness of the supply. Weak crown to Jinling painting name from.
According to legend, Wei Zhi stupid, there are gas shore and bold, try to hit Pang old man hit the marrow, Wei drink half, then the painting name. Into the country Zhu Gong extension to the screen, to Xiao Sin call, because that number. Xianzong to be Zhaoren wisdom hall, a good drama to drink prostitutes, who want to Wei painting, then carry wine to prostitutes to. Zhao was drunk on the 1st, the official help tuck into the house, life for the Songquan map. Wei kneel turned ink, letter hand smear, Xianzong sighed and said: "True cents pen also." And filial piety life painting said the purpose, granted clothing 100 households, thanks seal called "painting champion." Painting figures from Wu Daozi, longitudinal pen is not very intentional, and Chic Yi chic and moving, landscape tree and stone for ax crack. Straw in particular.
       Tasting travel apricot village wine thirst, from the old woman cable Ming, every year over, the old woman has died. Assistance pen to write its like, his son see the great grief, begging and possession of. Also try to drink Friends of the family, between the wine painting, opera to take Lianhua ink printed paper on a few, unpredictable its intention, suddenly turned into a vertical crab crab into a crab map, the most wonderful. Xia Zongxi Ma, summer painting style, and the painting into the house, Wu Wei Cheng Cheng Ma, Xia, become a fashion, No. "Zhejiang School." Wu Wei also "Jiangxia faction". After Wu sent both Sheng, Zhejiang sent gradually extinguished. When he was last summoned to the throne, he was not drunk at the age of fifty by drinking too much.