Thirteen Emperors Scroll (Lidai diwang tu) by Yan Liben, Tang Dynasty (618-907)

[Photo/ifeng.com]

Thirteen Emperors Scroll was created by the famous painter Yan Liben during Emperor Taizong’s reign. Its artistic achievement represents the highest level of figure painting in the early Tang Dynasty and has an important status in the history of ancient painting. Yan Liben depicted those emperors’ characteristics veritably by using bold and thick lines.

The painting was originally owned by Fu Bi, an official of Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). It changed hands many times and was collected by Liang Hongzhi in 1925. Yamanaka and Co. bought it from Liang. It was sold by Yamanaka to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) in 1931.