Sun Zongwei

Sun Zongwei was a Chinese painter who specialized in the gongbi brush technique, which means meticulous and detailed painting. He was born to a peasant family in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, and moved to Nanjing later in his life. He learned painting from Xu Beihong, a famous painter of the Wu School, and became one of the most prominent painters of the Republic of China. He was admired for his skill in painting figures, landscapes, architecture, and historical scenes. He also copied and imitated ancient works of the Tang and Song dynasties, and some of his copies were so good that they were mistaken for the originals. He had many wealthy patrons who supported his art, such as Chen Guan, Zhou Fenglai, and Xiang Yuanbian. He painted in various styles, such as blue-and-green, ink wash, and color. He was also influenced by Western painting, which he learned from his teacher Xu Beihong. He was very popular and influential in his time, and many professional artists imitated his paintings. Some of his famous works are Harp Player in a Pavilion, The Emperor Guangwu Fording a River, and Dwellings of the Immortals - Jade Cave Fairyland. He also participated in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics with his painting The Battle of Fei River. He died in Changzhou in May 1979.