Mo Pu (1915-1996, in traditional characters "莫樸") was born in Nanjing. He was an important oil painter, graphic artist and wood engraver. He studied a.o. under Xu Beihong, joined the New Fourth Army in 1940 and taught at the Lu Xun Academy in Yan'an from 1942 to 1949. During this period he created his most famous painting, "Settling accounts" (Qing suan, 清算).

After 1949, he held high positions at the Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy in Hangzhou. He was purged in 1957 during the Anti-Rightist Movement, but returned and eventually became President of the Academy in 1980.