Zhang Yanyuan (simplified Chinese: 张彦远; traditional Chinese: 張彥遠; pinyin: Zhāng Yànyuǎn; Wade–Giles: Chang Yenyüan, c. 815- c. 877), courtesy name Aibin (爱宾), was a Chinese art historian, calligrapher, and painter of the late Tang dynasty.
Zhang was born to a high-ranking civil official family in present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi.
He wrote several works about art and Chinese calligraphy, among them Fashu Yaolu (法書要錄, "Compendium of Calligraphy"), a collection of poems on color paper, and Lidai Minghua Ji (歷代名畫記, "Famous Paintings through History"), a general arts book about famous historical paintings.
His book also described the painter's lives thoroughly, including biography and works.
You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.This biographical article about an art historian is a stub.