Xu Beihong

Xu Beihong was a Chinese painter and art educator who reshaped modern Chinese art by combining Western academic realism with traditional ink techniques. Trained in Europe, he later taught and held leading positions at China’s major art institutions. His expressive paintings of horses became especially renowned, while works such as *The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains* and *Tian Heng and His Five Hundred Followers* reflected his commitment to socially engaged historical themes.