Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers

Zhou Fang, also known by the courtesy name Zhong Lang, lived in Jingxuan, Jingzhao (present day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). He was a painter of the Tang Dynasty. Born into a noble family, he served as an offical in Yuezhou and later Xuanzhou. He was good at copying and calligraphy. He painted figures and images of the Buddha, but was especially skilled at painting noble women. His figures were full-bodied and dignified, employing colors that were soft and beautiful. His painting was particularly favored by the court's scholar-bureaucrats. His portrait paintings were known for their divine appearance, and he painted excellent horses, birds, animals, and plants.