Master artist

Artist Wang Weizheng will hold his first retrospective solo exhibition, which promises viewers a feast for the eyes.

On display are Wang's poetic landscapes and cityscapes of places such as Paris in France, Florence in Italy, and Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan province and Zhejiang province, as well as portrait series of modern intellectuals, political figures, along with his signature depictions of cats, dogs, tigers, horses, camels, swans and eagles.

Of each portrait, the 68-year-old has inscribed an original poem, coupled with signet imprints.

Since the late 1970s, Wang has dedicated himself to portraying historic figures and modern social elites, including scientist Li Siguang and former chairman Mao Zedong, in his ink works.

"I do not paint someone just because he or she is famous. I only paint people I really admire," says Wang, adding it is his "lifetime mission to visualize the backbone of the Chinese nation".

Wang is also known for his vivid depictions of animals and birds. But he never confines himself to any single genre, subject or style. Instead, he has ventured into various fields and in each field he has won critical acclaim.

The gifted painter is good at calligraphy, essay, poetry, novel and theatrical scripts - a rarity in today's art community as most painters choose to specialize in certain genres and subjects.

9 am-5 pm, July 11-21. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.