Realistic Oil Paintings by Leng Jun

The Details

You’ll find every fiber of clothing or a loose lock of hair carefully included with precision.

Leng Jun says that he became interested in art from an early age.

Born in the 1960s, his time of learning happened at the same time as the Opening of China – an economic reform that brought more exposure from the West.

The concepts he learned at the time influenced his art considerably.

He began to experiment with oil painting in middle school.

Even though it was challenging to find supplies at the time, Leng Jun says a friend gave him a few colors to practice.

The early experiments stayed with him, allowing him to continue his studies and put his career on course.

A 2004 Painting Brought Him International Attention

Leng Jun was a well-respected painter and artist in China, but his Mona Lisa in 2004 (while in his 40s) would be the work that went viral.

It is a piece that features a photo-realistic woman based on the iconic work from Leonardo da Vinci.

He followed up that acclaim by creating a series of portraits of women, with each one having more detail to them than the previous one.

When you look closely at the canvas, it is easy to appreciate the precision that Leng Jun uses for his brushstrokes.

Although some critics say that his paintings look too much like a photograph, anyone who views the work in person instead of as an image will see the differences.

His goal is simple: to balance the technical skill necessary to bring emotion to his paintings while staying true to classical technique.

It’s a process that connects with people all over the world. He even uses models that sit for him so that he can create his work.

When asked why he painted people, Leng Jun said it was so that he could push his artwork to higher levels.

He wanted to capture what people see every day, and what we all encounter are other people.