Li Congxun

CHINA, Zhejiang, Hangzhou; Song dynasty

Li Congxun was a painter-in-attendance at the Imperial Painting Academy from Qiantang (present day Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He served as a court painter during the rule of Emperor Huizong (reigned 1100–1125) of the Northern Song dynasty, later being appointed as a middle-ranking civil servant and awarded the Golden Belt for his exceptional work. His adopted son was the famed artist, Li Song.
Li was reputed for his paintings of monks, Daoists figures, and bird-and-flower. He was regarded as a superior painter for his keen ability to capture people’s expressions. References on Painting Matters documents his works, Finches and Doves. His other surviving paintings include Pavilions Under the Banana Leaves and Zhao Zi’ang Record of Music Theory, both of which are kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.