Ren Yi (1840-1895), also known as Ren Bonian, was a representative painter of the Shanghai School. Ren was a versatile artist who incorporated numerous styles in his paintings. Besides figures paintings, he also excelled at painting birds and plants.Ren Yi was fond of depicting immortals and legendary figures such as Zhong Kui. Here, Zhong Kui, the demon-queller and ghost-catcher, is shown in a pensive mood with his back towards the viewer, holding a sword. Typical of Ren Yi's style, the folds of the garment are exaggerated. Form and structure are defined through the layering of calligraphic strokes for the folds.
