Huang Binhong ( 1865-1955) was a painter and art theorist who, faced with the challenge of a new society in 20th-century China, incorporated fresh ideas into traditional Chinese painting.

Huang Binhong's father was a merchant and art enthusiast who encouraged his son's interest in painting. In 1888 his business collapsed and the whole family moved to She County in Anhui province, their native land. In the ensuing years, Huang developed an affinity for his ancestral home and formed a partiality for Xin’an literature and painting. As a young artist, he emulated the styles of the Xin’an School of painting. He also began collecting ancient seals and studying their inscriptions on bronze and stone (jinshi).

Huang Binhong oppo...