(b Shanghang, Fujian Province, 1682; d Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 1762). Chinese painter. One of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou (see YANGZHOU SCHOOL), Hua Yan painted figures, landscapes, birds, flowers and insects. A strong sense of humour is revealed in his depictions of animals: he painted subjects such as kittens in a heap, frogs fighting, a turtle on its back and sway-backed, pop-eyed horses. His independent spirit in this genre was widely acclaimed by critics. Qin Zuyong (1825-84) even praised his paintings as comparable to those of Yun Shouping, the great bird-and-flower painter.
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