Ink and color on paper 130*31.3 cm

Sima Zhong (dates unknown), also known by his zi (courtesy name) Ziying and his hao (literary names) Xiugu, Xiuhu, and Zijin Shanqiao, was a native of Shangyuan (modern-day Nanjing, Jiangsu province). He served as the Assistant Magistrate for River Works in Zhili. Sima Zhong is acclaimed as the founder of the “Northern School of Sketching.”His style is defined by uninhibited brushwork and a spirited, soaring vigor. In his floral-and-avian subjects, he pioneered a “coarse-brush leaf-pointing”(cubi dianye) technique that yields a uniquely rustic and archaic charm. With just one or two deft strokes, he could conjure insects, fish, and shrimp, capturing their vitality with spontaneous wit. He was particularly masterful in the xieyi (freehand) style of flowers, birds, and animals. His representative works include Begonia and Kingfisher(Haitang Cuiyu Tu).