Zhao Chang
Master of boneless bird-and-flower painting
Zhao Chang (?-c.1016), courtesy name Changzhi, also known as Jian Nan Qiao Ke, was from Guanghan Jian Nan (south of present-day Jiange, Sichuan) and was a painter of the Northern Song dynasty. He was mainly active during the reigns of emperors Taizong, Zhenzong, and Renzong, and became especially renowned during the Dazhong Xiangfu period (1008–1016). He initially studied under Teng Changyou and later blended the styles of Xu Xi and Huang Quan to develop the 'boneless' bird-and-flower painting technique. He specialized in painting flowers and fruits, broken-branch flowers, and insects, forming his own distinctive style. Zhao Chang emphasized painting from life in the early morning and referred to himself as "Zhao Chang who paints from life." His works mainly featured broken-branch flowers, with elegant, clear, and bright coloring, and his color techniques were unique. Zhao Chang has 154 works recorded in the "Xuanhe Paintings Catalogue," and 27 pieces collected in the "Paintings in the Song Zhongxing Pavilion." Surviving works include "Study of Butterflies" held at the Palace Museum (whose authenticity is debated), "Study of Apricot Flowers" at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, as well as "Four Joys" and "Pink Flowers." He outlined details using the double-contour line technique, colored insects and butterflies vividly, and focused on pastoral and natural compositions. Su Shi once said, "Among those who paint from life, none compare to Chang," and Ouyang Xiu listed him as a representative of "recently famous painters."