Beijing

Ren Xiong 仁兄 1820 - 1857

 Born in Xiaoshan County, Zhejiang Province. Ren Xiong was a painter of the late crumbling Qing Dynasty also known as one of the “Four Rens” together with his brother Ren Xun (1835–93), his son Ren Yu (1853–1901) and his student Ren Yi. His style name was Wei Chang. Ren spent most of his time in the city of Suzhou where he made a living by selling his paintings. Following the style of Chen Hongshou, his paintings executed profound and exaggerated strokes, he was also famous for his calligraphy and seal cutting.

The “Four Rens” dominated late 19th-century painting scene in Shanghai, see Shanghai school.

Ren Xiong painted several popular painting manuals for subjects such as ancient heroes, immortals and hermits, he introduced into his conventional depictions of cultural heroes a sense of metaphysical inquiry and radical self-doubt that provides an insight into mid-19th century China, on the brink of great change. In his Zihua xiang ‘Self-portrait’, see pic. (left) it is not entirely clear whether the figure is dressed as a peasant or as a monk, his bare chest is both defiant and feminine, his shaved head could be that of a monk or of a soldier. The inscription on the side describes his rebellious sentiments, confusion and the feeling of loss of identity which parallels the inconclusive identity of the character depicted. This obvious sentiment in his works reflect the situation in Shanghai of the 19th century, a bustling metropolis that as a result of western invasion experienced drastic changes and strong tensions between old and new.

Apart of his works in calligraphy, Ren Xiong painted different themes such as Figure Painting , Landscape Painting and Flower-and-bird Paintings.

   Calligraphy by Ren Xiong

>Link Partners             >Contact Us      

- The World of Chinese Art (tm) -