Qi Baishi was one of China’s most celebrated modern ink painters and a master of traditional Chinese brush painting.

Despite his late start, he developed a highly personal style that combined classical Chinese techniques with a fresh, expressive, and often playful spirit.

Qi Baishi is best known for his depictions of everyday subjects; shrimp, crabs, insects, flowers, birds, vegetables, and small animals. Using bold brushstrokes, simplified forms, and lively ink washes, he transformed humble motifs into works full of vitality and charm. His shrimp paintings, in particular, are iconic, admired for their sense of movement and transparency achieved with minimal strokes.

He believed that art should be “similar, yet not too similar” to nature, valuing expressive essence over realistic detail.

In recognition of his immense contribution to Chinese art, Qi Baishi was awarded the World Peace Prize in 1956 and became a symbol of national artistic heritage in China.