Wang is born in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China. He established the Xi’an Artist Association (西安美术家协会) in 1983, the Xi’an Painting Academy (西安中国画院) in 1985, and then the Xi’an Foreign Cultural Exchange Association (西安对外文化交流协会) in 1989. He is instrumental in expanding the influence of Chinese art through his works in exhibitions and lectures at leading art schools in Southeast Asia, which included NAFA, Malaysian Institute of Art (马来西亚艺术学院) and the Oriental Culture Academy in Thailand (泰国东方书院). He has taught at the China National Academy of Arts (中国艺术研究院), Northwest University (西北大学) and Yunnan University (云南大学) and is regaled as a first-class Chinese artist.
Wang is known for his distinctive rendering of figures in popular Chinese folklore that are often refined and vivid. In this artwork, the artist employs expressive and unrestrained brushstrokes in depicting a figure playing the harp. On the right side of the scroll, the colophon states:
“江歌一曲随波去，又有新声逐波来。
乙丑岁首客狮城
写于南洋美术专科学院
长安王西京
[The melodious tune flows like a gentle ripple, refreshing new sounds with each ebb and flow].”
