Ren Yi (1840-1895), also known as Ren Bonian, was a representative painter of the Shanghai School. Ren was a versatile artist who incorporated numerous styles in his paintings. Besides figures paintings, he also excelled at painting birds and plants.This dramatic composition strikes the viewer by the complex interweaving of the pine and prunus. Ren Yi shows off his skills in handling such a large composition by the complicated twists and turns, and the well-defined layering of the branches of two different species of trees. The detailing of the texture of the barks also testifies to Ren’s virtuosity of skill. A sense of worldly detachment found in many of his figure paintings is transposed onto his rendition of birds and ducks here. Ren’s rendition of eyes of both figures and animals often make them look as if they are oblivious to the world and the viewer.
