Hua Yan
The Art History Archive - Chinese Art

Chinese Painter

By Brandi Leigh - 2008.

Hua Yan was born in 1682 in the Fujian province of China. Yans life was not well documented, however his art was. He studied at the traditional Yangzhou school and is often named as one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou.

These Eight artists are named so because they rejected the orthodox ideals about painting, and favored a style that was more expressive and individualistic. The members of the group had strong personalities which went against the conventions of their time. Most of the eight were from impoverished or troubled backgrounds, which perhaps led to a lack of information about their childhoods. The term “eccentric” is used to describe more of their work than of their own individual personalities.

Today Yans art still continues to be influential to Chinese artists, and his paintings are sold in the thousands. One in particular, an original heron scroll painting, is currently selling on e-bay for $14,495 US.

See Also: Chinese Landscape Painting

Artwork by Hua Yan

Hua Yan - Chrysanthemum Flowers - 1753
Hua Yan - Snow on Mounttian - 1755
Hua Yan - Conversations in Autum - c.1770
Hua Yan - Bay - Date Unknown
Hua Yan - Flying Squirrels - Date Unknown
Hua Yan - Poetic Inspiration of Song Ru - Date Unknown