Yan Liben (阎立本 ca. 600-673) was a celebrated painter in the early Tang dynasty. He was born into an aristocratic family; his grandfather was one of the emperors during the Northern Dynasties period, his mother was a princess, and his father, Yan Bi, served both the Northern Zhou and Sui emperors, holding the position of deputy director of palace affairs in the Sui dynasty.

Yan Liben had a highly successful career in the imperial court, where he served as prime minister responsible for matters of literature and the arts under Emperor Gaozong's reign. He excelled in figure painting and Taoist images, often depicting key figures who played significant roles in the founding of the Tang dynasty, serving as moral exemplars. He was frequently called upon to depict important events and key court figures, making his paintings a witness to many pivotal political developments in the court.