Yan Liben

CHINA, Shaanxi, Xi’an; Tang dynasty

Yan Liben was a painter born in Wannian, Yongzhou (present day Xi’an, Shaanxi). His father Yan Bi, and his brother Yan Lide, were also artists. During the rule of Emperor Xianqing (reigned 656–660) of the Tang dynasty, he replaced his brother as the head overseer of builders and artisans in the Department of Construction and later became an imperial court minister responsible for the Department of Arts.
Studying painting under several masters, namely Zhang Senyao, Zheng Fasi, Yang Qiedan, and Zhan Ziqian, Yan’s works mostly depict carriages, pavilions, and figures, particularly religious figures. He was regarded as a master of figure painting during his time.
His works are recorded in Famous Paintings in History and Xuanhe Catalog of Paintings. Paintings by Yan include murals Vimalakirti and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva at Daci’en Temple in Shaanxi; and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, which was later copied by Liu Bingwen and Sun Liang during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Paintings that are attributed to him include Ambassadors Meeting the Emperor, kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing; and The Thirteen Emperors, kept at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in Massachusetts, USA.