Wang Fengchang shuhua tiba 王奉常書畫題跋 is a commentary on paintings written during the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Wang Shimin 王時敏 (1592-1680), courtesy name Xunzhi 遜之, style Yanke 烟客, Ruzhai 懦齋, Xilu Laoren 西廬老人, Xitian Zhuren 西田主人, Xitian Laoren 西田老人, Xitian Yilao 西田遺老, Ouxie Daoren 偶諧道人 or Guicun Laonong 歸村老農. He hailed from Taicang 太倉, Jiangsu, and passed the imperial examination as a jinshi in 1601. By hereditary privilege, he served as the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices (taichangsi shaoqing 太常寺少卿), which earned him the honourific title Wang Fengchang 王奉常. After the Qing dynasty 清 (1644-1911) was established, he chose not to serve in the government and lived in seclusion in his home village.
Wang valued talent and cherished friendship. He often exchanged artistic ideas and techniques with eminent late-Ming landscape painters such as Dong Qichang 董其昌 (1555-1636) and Chen Jiru 陳繼儒 (1558-1639). He personally instructed painters Wang Hui 王翬 (1632-1717), Wu Li 吳歷 (1632-1718), and his own grandson. During his time, the painting world regarded him and Wang Jian 王鑒 (1609-1677) as the leading figures. Later generations grouped him with Wang Jian, Wang Yuanqi 王原祁 (1642-1715), and Wang Hui as the "Four Wangs" 四王. His collected writings are called Wang Yanke quanji 王烟客全集. He also wrote another collection of colophons, Yilu huaba 西廬畫跋.
The book of 2 juan in length contains 83 inscriptions and colophons, while the second volume contains 94. The majority are inscriptions on paintings rather than on books. Among these, the author himself contributed 46 inscriptions. The content of the book can roughly be divided into three categories, namely nscriptions on famous works from past dynasties, which offer incisive and balanced critiques that objectively reflect the essence of the pieces; inscriptions by the author on his own works, which tend toward modesty and self-deprecation, sometimes overly humble; and inscriptions on works by contemporaries, often containing encouraging and supportive words. Since Wang Shimin, was not only a painter and calligrapher but also a leading figure in the art world of his time, his artistic critiques and ideas held significant guiding authority and exerted great influence on the painting community.
The main editions include the 1910 woodblock print by the Li family 李氏 of Tongzhou 通州 (Ouboluo Studio 甌鉢羅室), the version included in the series Huaxue xinyin 畫學心印, and the manuscript copy by the Qian family's 錢氏 Ranxiang Studio 染香樓.