A four-day exhibition featuring nearly 150 ink-wash paintings and calligraphy works created by a group of local artists opened on Friday at Shanghai Library.

The exhibits were selected by the research committee of Ren Bonian (1840-1895), a master of Shanghai School painting. Located in Jiading District, the research committee was set up in May.

"We hope that this exhibition will reflect the new direction of Shanghai School," said Shen Longhai, the committee's director.

After the two Opium Wars in the mid-19th century, Shanghai and several other Chinese port cities were forced to open to foreign trade. As these cities were becoming prosperous, a new Chinese artistic style, known as the Shanghai School, began to emerge. It later became a dominant force in Chinese painting and influenced many other forms of art, such as theater, cinema, music and literature.

The Shanghai School combined traditional Chinese and Western aesthetics and appealed to the tastes of an emerging urban class.

Ren was widely reputed as one of the "four masters" of the Shanghai School in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The other three are Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), Pu Hua (1839-1911) and Xu Gu (1823-1896).

Born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, Ren was a versatile artist in portrait, flower-and-bird and landscape paintings. His paintings are based on folk art. He not only inherited the tradition, but also blended the tradition with his own creativity. He broke the stereotyped patterns and formed a unique and colorful style of painting, which enriches the connotation of Chinese painting.

Exhibition info:

Dates: Through November 29

Venue: Shanghai Library

Address: 1555 Huaihai Rd M.