Yang Zihua

CHINA; Northern Qi dynasty

Yang Zihua specialized in the painting of Buddhist and Daoist imagery. Commonly known as a Sage of Painting, he is said to have been so highly regarded by Emperor Wucheng (reigned 561–565) of the Northern Qi dynasty that he was prohibited to paint for anyone without the emperor’s directive. According to Famous Paintings in History, Yang’s paintings were so vivid, one might expect to hear the neighing and footsteps of the horses.”
Paintings credited to Yang that are listed in Painting Annals of the Zhenguan Period include Portrait of Hulujin, Acrobatic Show of Yezhong, and Outings of Nobility of Northern Qi Dynasty, as well as murals in Beixuan Temple in Hebei and Yongfu Temple in Shaanxi.
Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts, which is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in Massachusetts, USA, is thought be a copy of his painting, and is considered a valuable reference for understanding the painting styles of the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577).