Ren Xiong

A self-portrait by Ren Xiong; one of his most famous works

• Born: 1823
• Died: 1857
• Chinese/Japanese: 任熊 (Rèn Xióng / Nin Yuu)

Ren Xiong was a prominent Shanghai-based artist during the Taiping Rebellion.

Born in Hangzhou, he fled to Shanghai after the Taiping Rebellion broke out (in 1850), throwing the countryside into chaos. There, he supported himself by producing inexpensive prints, playing cards, and the like, though he also continued to paint. As three other painters by the same surname were also prominent in Shanghai at the time, they came to be known as the "Four Rens."

His self-portrait shows his mastery of both realistic modes, in fine detail, and bolder brushwork, as well as his strong calligraphic abilities.

References

• Gallery labels, "The Reformer's Brush: Modernity and Traditional Media in China," University of Hawaii Art Gallery, 2011.