原名引年，又名贤菖，字吉留，1914年出生于浙江省鄞县沙村。生前为上海文史研究馆馆员。自小便显露绘画天赋。早年在上海昌明艺专、上海美专、杭州艺专和中央大学艺术系习画九载，1937年由徐悲鸿推荐，赴比利时皇家美术学院深造。其艺术面貌十分丰富，不仅心仪欧洲古典绘画，且懂得与中国传统绘画的相通之处，诠释了东西方交融的独特风格。
Originally named 引年, also known as 贤菖, with the courtesy name 吉留, he was born in Shacun, Yin County, Zhejiang Province in 1914. He was a librarian at the Shanghai Academy of Literature and History. He showed his talent for painting since childhood. In his early years, he studied painting for nine years at Shanghai Changming Art School, Shanghai Art School, Hangzhou Art School and the Art Department of Central University. In 1937, he was recommended by Xu Beihong to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. His artistic style is very rich. He not only likes European classical paintings, but also understands the similarities with traditional Chinese paintings, interpreting the unique style of the fusion of East and West.
