Zhang Senyao (502-549) was a famous painter during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Kingdom. He painted murals for many Buddhist and Taoist temples in Jiankang (present-day Nanjing) and was an outstanding painter of figures of Buddhism and Taoism in the history of Chinese painting, with paintings such as Quan Zhen Xing Tu, Jiu Yao Tu, Han Wu Jiao Tu, Xing Dao Tian Wang Tu, and Wu Xing Xing 28 Xing Xing True Form Tu. He used the sparse method of painting figures, with a simple and subtle brushwork. When he painted landscapes, he did not use lines to outline them, but painted them purely in colour, which later became known as the 'boneless method'. In terms of colouring, he often applied heavy colours of red and green, using the difference in shades of colour to distinguish between yin and yang. This painting method, which drew on the techniques of Indian Buddhist art, became known as the 'Zhang family style', together with the 'Cao family style' of Cao Zhongda in the Northern Qi Dynasty and the 'Wu family style' of Wu Daotzu in the Tang Dynasty. It has had an extremely important influence on the art of painting in later times.

His bold use of colour has made me think about my work in a new way. I used to like to use colours in a discreet way, but now I will aim for Zhang.

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