Wang Zhenpeng

CHINA, Zhejiang, Wenzhou; Yuan dynasty

Also known as Pengmei, Wang Zhenpeng was a painter from Yongjia (present day Wenzhou, Zhejiang). Emperor Renzong (reigned 1139–1194) of the Yuan dynasty highly praised his paintings and granted him the title “Lone Cloud Nobleman.” Wang also served as a government official and manager of the Imperial Library, where in his free time, he studied literature and copied well-known ancient paintings.
He specialized in Buddhist and Daoist figure paintings, as well as architectural paintings of palaces and pavilions. Wang’s paintings were detailed and refined, exhibiting an aspiring style that was not bound by traditional painting techniques. He was skilled in depicting figures with bold and fluid lines and a light ink wash, emulating the style of Li Gonglin.
Wang’s paintings include Vimalakirti and Doctrine of Non-duality, kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York, USA; Bo Ya Playing the Guqin, kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing; and Dragon Boat Race on Jinming Lake, kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan. Additionally, the painting, Hariti Rescuing Her Son, which is kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing, is thought to be a copy of Wang’s work.