Li Tang, Unsigned.                               

Original: Light Colour and Ink on Silk. Size: 46.4cm. by 62.5cm. Wallscroll

    Li. T'ang (1049-1130) was a native of Ho-yang, Honan. His style name was Hsi-ku. During the Chien-yen period (1127-1162) he was appointed a Painter-m-Attendance. He was best known for his landscapes, figures and buffaloes. In landscapes, he first followed the works of Li Ssu-hsun but later he developed his own style, which made his pictures refreshingly original. He liked to paint large panoramic views. Emperor Kao Tsung thought so highly of his work as to say that he could well rival Li Ssu-hsun. He has been generally recognized as the leading artist of the so-called Northern School in the Sung period.