Shang Xi
Mastered fierce tigers in Song style
Shang Xi(商喜) (15th century), styled Weiji(惟吉), was from Puyang (now Puyang, Henan), though some say he was from Kuaiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). His exact birth and death years are unknown. He was a famous court painter during the Xuande period and also served as a commander in the imperial guards. He painted a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, figures, flowers and birds, and feathered animals, but he was especially skilled at painting fierce tigers, often following the style of Song dynasty masters. His surviving works include "Guan Yu Capturing a General" and "Emperor Xuanzong’s Pleasure Outing" (also known as "Xuanzong’s Pleasure Outing Scroll" or "Zhu Zhanji’s Pleasure Outing Scroll"), both of which are kept at the Palace Museum.