A Life Dedicated to Brush and Ink: Yao Yuanzhi (1773–1852) Yao Yuanzhi, a name perhaps less familiar in the West than some of his more celebrated contemporaries, occupies a unique and cherished position within the landscape of 19th-century Chinese art. Born in 1773 and passing away in 1852, Yao dedicated his life to the refinement of calligraphy and painting, achieving particular renown for his delicate depictions of cats alongside fl…