谱名锡铨，又名衡，字佩衡，号冷庵，外号胡涂克图，以字行，蒙族，原籍河北省涿县，因祖辈做粮商，迁居北京。先后在北平师范、私立华北大学、北平师范大学、北平艺专任教职，主办过“中国山水画函授学社”，又在北京琉璃厂创办豹文斋书画店。历任中国画学研究会和湖社画会评议，华北大学教授，北京师范大学讲师，北平艺术专科学校教授。新中国成立后，先后任北京中国画研究会常务理事、北京画院画师兼院务委员。
胡佩衡幼喜绘事，早年得西陵山水画家李静斋指点，大量临摹明清绘画。20岁后开始与北京名画家如姜颖生、林琴南、金城、陈师曾、陈半丁、萧谦中、汤定之、贺履之相往来，并得到他们的指导。
1918年，胡佩衡加入蔡元培创办的北京大学画法研究会，从比利时画家盖大士学西画，1919年被聘为北京大学画法研究会导师，并主编《绘学杂志》。1920年北大画法研究会更名为“造型美术研究所”，年轻的胡佩衡被聘为导师。同一年，金城、周肇祥等在北京创办中国画学研究会，胡佩衡成为第一批研究员（学员），在金城等的指导下进一步学习传统绘画，两年后，相继升为该会助教、评议。1927年与金荫湖、徐燕荪、陈东湖、惠孝同等发起湖社画会，编辑《湖社月刊》。1928年解囊为齐白石出版《齐白石画册第一集》。1930年，胡佩衡在《北楼吾师逝世四周（年）志感》诗中写道：“四年断梦总成尘，每对秋风一怆神。此日明窗净几处，商量笔墨更何人。”表明胡佩衡与金城的师生情谊。被称为北京画坛“广大教主”的金城，以“精研古法，博采新知”为原则，指导了一大批年轻画家，内中以胡佩衡最年长，也最早熟。金城的侄子金开英先生回忆说：“先伯教了许多弟子……，有一件事我记得很清楚，先伯买了一批丈八的宣纸，他给大徒弟们每人一张，让他们自己作稿，他也和他们一起画，交卷后，开了个丈八纸作品展览会，还记得是评了胡佩衡的画为最好。”
所见胡佩衡早期临古之作，是1921年（辛酉）临石涛《溪山无尽图卷》、1923年（癸亥）临石涛《山水册》等。前者墨色淋漓，后者笔力雄壮。胡氏在《临石涛山水册》中题：“清湘老人笔墨超凡，意境玄妙，洵非食人间烟火者所能梦见。此册大半写黄砚旅游处，一丘一壑均可惊人，愚酷爱之，漫临一册，以存梗概，惟限于学力，自不免取貌遗神也。”在20年代初，齐白石、陈师曾、陈半丁、萧谦中等均推崇石涛，胡佩衡不免受他们影响。但能够兼容中西绘画的胡佩衡，从不拘于一家一派。从20年代中到30年代陆续出版的《胡佩衡画存》第一至五集，大多是临仿各家各派的作品，其中包括黄公望、王蒙、吴镇、沈周、王铎、程邃、程正揆、石溪、梅清、吴历、罗牧等，可以看出他以南宗为主，但也涉猎北派，如临《临金李山风雪杉松图》（1923年）、《抚宋人雪溪归棹图》（20年代前期）均为典型的李郭派作品。他自己也说：“余爱临北宗画，画存前三集第一幅皆北宗也。且余所写南宗画，多有北宗意焉。”在《临古刍言》一文中，他把古人作品依风格画法分为幽淡（如倪云林一派）、平正（如黄公望一派）、庄整（如董源、巨然、文征明、沈周）、邃密（如王蒙、石溪、吴历）、豪放（如八大、石涛）、潇洒（如唐寅、恽南田）、奇古（如金冬心）、峭健（如马远、夏珪）、工致（如刘松年、赵孟頫）、烟雨（如米芾、高房山）。对于每一种风格如何临写，他都结合自己的经验加以解释，可以见出其对临摹的深刻理解。1926年，齐白石题《冷庵先生画卷》诗云：“层次分明点画工，启人心事见毫锋。他年画苑三千辈，个个毋忘念此翁。”对他的作品加以称赞。
约1927年前后，胡佩衡的画风渐趋成熟，在继续钻研传统的同时，独立创作增多，艺术个性也呈现出来。此后的作品大抵有两种面貌，一种结构繁复，勾皴细密，大体是从王蒙、石溪、吴历一路画风综合变化而来；一种多湿笔，结构有繁有简，多用泼墨，笔线粗壮，以泼辣奔放为宗，可以看到沈周特别是石涛的影响。秦仲文在谈到1962年8月在北京举办的“胡佩衡遗作展览会”时，用两句话概括胡佩衡前期作品：一是“精细可爱”，二曰“不断致力于继承古人和吸收先进笔精墨妙的技法”；前一句是讲画法风格，后一句是指出它们与传统的密切关联。不过，秦氏所言前期“精细”作品，是就画展而言的，笔者所见二百余件前期作品，“精细”之作不很多，即使这些精细之作，也带有纵放和随意的特质，可以说，能粗能细，而无论粗细，都流溢着纵逸奔放的气质。
50年代以降，胡佩衡谋求山水画的新风格，先后到丰沙铁路沿线（1953年）、广西桂林和湖南韶山（1956年）写生。其中桂林写生，以浓重热烈为宗，成为晚年风格的转折点。如秦仲文所说：“写桂林风景，笔意之辣，气象之厚，青黛之浓，丹黄之粲，都显示出奔放雄奇、与年俱老的画境，而达到他所追求的推陈出新的成就。”具体说，这种新风格的特点是：构图简洁，喜取近景特写，不再有山重水复、重峦叠嶂的景象；笔墨厚重，多以强悍的焦墨勾皴点画；喜用对比强烈的色彩，如石青、石绿、铅粉、洋红等。概言之，这些作品用重彩而能写意，独树一帜。胡佩衡对自己的“衰年变法”也很满意，有诗曰：“万寿菊黄又一年，衰年变法气冲天。夕阳无限春常在，树茂山崇晚更妍。”
胡佩衡的成就，远不止于山水画创作。他博识多能，精鉴赏，擅诗文，多著述，在美术教育和编辑出版领域也卓有贡献。其著作有《山水入门》、《王石谷画法抉微》、《中国山水画布置法》、《中国山水画点苔法》、《绘画随笔》、《胡佩衡画箑丛谈》、《临古刍言》、《冷庵画诣》、《我怎样画山水画》、《山水画技法研究》、《齐白石画法与欣赏》、《王石谷》等。这些著作以学画青年为主要对象，融画谱、美术史知识、传统画论、画家研究和作品鉴赏为一，文图结合，深入浅出，可读可临，是一种新型的综合性普及读物，具有鲜明的时代特征，出版后产生了广泛的影响。这些普及性著作也不乏精辟的见解。如作于20年代中期的《王石谷画法抉微》，有感于对王石谷“昔之人恭敬之如彼，今之人又拒绝之如此”的状况，做客观公允、正本清源的批评。文章从王石谷的艺术历程、临古、论画、各家评说、画派变迁、作品之“佳点”与“劣点”等各个角度，作了全面的剖析，即使今天读来，仍然很精彩。他和其子胡槖合写的《齐白石画法与欣赏》，是第一部记述齐白石画法的作品，有很高的艺术史价值。
柱宇《中国画名家胡佩衡访问记》说，胡佩衡“在中国画界，以课徒见长，此一般所公认。”钱葆昂《胡佩衡课徒画稿序》曰：“先生之为人也如春风，冬日即之也温。其教人也懃懃不倦，探骊得珠。其言尤能深入浅出，古人千百言所不能说明者，先生不十余言，即能使深奥之精义昭然若揭。前人立言，惟恐其不玄，先生则一以科学之方法治之，所以受教育者莫不事半功倍。”胡佩衡将自己的教育方法归纳为“先难后易法”“分析法”等等，这方面的丰富经验，还有待我们去发掘和研究。
胡佩衡又是一位出色的编辑，先后主编了北京大学画法研究会的《绘学杂志》、北京大学造型美术研究所的《造型美术》和湖社的《湖社月刊》。特别是《湖社月刊》，从1927年创刊到1937年10年共100期，是20世纪前半叶坚持时间最长的美术刊物之一，始终由胡佩衡主编。该刊介绍了许多古今画家，发表了大量古今绘画作品和画论著作，还旁及书法、篆刻、古董收藏、诗词、青铜研究等，充分显示了胡佩衡宽阔的眼界和多方面的能力。这些刊物已经成了研究20世纪中国美术史的珍贵文献。
胡佩衡是齐白石的忘年交。1928年出版的第一本齐白石画册，就是胡佩衡编辑的，他在《序言》中称赞齐白石“性爽直，喜任侠，有古烈士风”、“作品之意境深刻而新颖”。30年代初，胡佩衡在琉璃厂创办“豹文斋”，经营书董，编印了许多画册书籍，除了胡氏自己的著作外，还有《大涤子山水精印》、《黄子久富春山居图》、《齐白石画册》、《萧谦中课徒画稿》、《萧谦中山水精册》等等，对弘扬中国书画做出了贡献。

Chart name stannum selects, renown judge, word an ornament worn as a pendant at the waist in ancient times judge, date Leng An, monicker moustache besmears the gram pursues, go with the word, unconscious a group of things with common features, ancestral home Heibei saves Zhuo county, because ancestors does food business, beijing of change one's dwelling house. Make the same score in north early or late normal school, private smooth Normal University, north makes the same score China north university, north art teach only duty, had sponsorred " Chinese landscape painting teachs by correspondence learn a company " , establish in factory of Beijing coloured glaze again inn of painting and calligraphy of leopard article fast. The traditional Chinese painting in having successively held the posts of learns seminar and lake company to draw meeting appraise sth through discussion, china north university is taught, instructor of Beijing Normal University, north makes the same score artistic schools professor. After new China holds water,
Hupei job of Heng Youxi paint, one's early years gets Li Jingzhai of painter of Xi Lingshan water to give directions, a large number of copy bright Qing Dynasty is painterly. Begin to be like Jiang Ying with Beijing renown painter after 20 years old south unripe, Lin Qin, the posture contact that medium, Shang Dingzhi, congratulate walks on Jin Cheng, Chen Shiceng, Chen Banding, Xiao Qian, get their guidance.
1918, hu Peiheng adds the seminar of Beijing University brushwork that Cai Yuanpei establishs, learn from Belgian artist Gaidashi draw on the west, was hired to be adviser of seminar of Beijing University brushwork 1919, and chief editor " draw learns a magazine " . 1920 seminar of Beijing University brushwork more the name is " modelling art institute " , young Hu Peiheng is hired to be an adviser. Same year, the traditional Chinese painting in waiting to establish in Beijing learns Jin Cheng, Zhou Zhaoxiang seminar, hu Peiheng becomes the first batch of researchers (student) , further study tradition is painterly below the guidance that waits in Jin Cheng, after two years, rise to be met for this in succession assistant, appraise sth through discussion. Waited with lake of Jin Yin lake, Xu Yansun, Chen Dong, Hui Xiaotong 1927 initiate lake company picture to meet, editor " lake company monthly magazine " . Open one's purse was published for Qi Baishi 1928 " Qi Baishi draws the first volume " . 1930, hu Peiheng is in " division of boreal Lou Wu dies all around (year) annals feels " write in the poem: "Break dream assembly dirt 4 years, every sorrowful to autumn wind god. Clean few points of this day of bright window, discuss writing more He Ren. " the friendly feelings of teachers and students that makes clear Hu Peiheng and Jin Cheng. The Beijing that be called draws altar " broad hierarch " Jin Cheng, with " essence of life grinds ancient magic art, bo Caixin knows " for the principle, coached large quantities of one young artists, inside in with Hu Peiheng the oldest, the earliest also. Memory of nephew Mr Jin Kaiying says: "Xian Baijiao a lot of child... , have a thing I am written down very clearly, first uncle bought a batch of a unit of length the rice paper of 8, he gives big prentice people everybody is one piece, let themselves make draft, he also is drawn together with them, after hand in an examination paper, drove a measure exhibition of 8 paper work, still be being written down was to judge Hu Peiheng's picture to be best. Still be being written down was to judge Hu Peiheng's picture to be best..
Be seen Hu Peiheng is inchoate face Gu Zhi to make, was 1921 (Xin You) Lin Shitao " brook hill is endless the graph coils " , 1923 (the last of the twelve Earthly Branches of the last of the ten Heavenly Stems) Lin Shitao " landscape book " etc. Lubricious dripping wet of former Chinese ink, latter style of writing or drawing is magnificent. Introduced from the northern and western nationalities or from abroad family name is in " Lin Shitao landscape book " in problem: "Writing of clear Hunan old person is transcendental, artistic conception is abstruse, truly be not the person that eat terrestrial cooked food to be able to be dreamed of. This most writes part of yellow inkstone travel, one Qiu Yi big pool all portentous person, I loves, free copy copy, in order to put main idea, educational level of alone be confined to, from unavoidable god of involuntary discharge of urine extraction appearance also. " it is at the beginning of 20 time, qi Baishi, Chen Shiceng, Chen Banding, Xiao Qian is medium all praise highly Shi Tao, hu Peiheng is unavoidable suffer them to affect. But can the Hu Peiheng with compatible painterly Chinese and Western, from not stick to at an one clique. Publish in succession to 30 time from inside 20 time " Hu Peiheng picture is put " the first to 5 collect, it is to face the work that copy sends each each mostly, include Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, Wu Zhen, Shen Zhou, Wang Duo, Cheng Sui, Cheng Zhengkui, Shi Xi, Mei Qing, Wu Li, Luo Mu to wait among them, can see him with south ancestor give priority to, but also dabble north group, if face " pine of fir of snow of wind of the Li Shan that face gold pursues " (1923) , " stroke Gui Zhao of Song Renxue brook to pursue " (20 years early days) the Li Guo that all is a model sends work. He himself also says: "Boreal an administrative unit in Xizang draws Yu Ailin, before the picture is put 3 collect the first all boreal an administrative unit in Xizang also. And more than write Na Zonghua, have Yan of meaning of boreal an administrative unit in Xizang more. " in " face Gu Chu talk " in one article, he is the ancients work according to style brushwork cent deep and remote weak (if Ni Yunlin is sent) , smooth (if Huang Gongwang is sent) , the place of business is whole (be like Dong Yuan, gigantic like that, Wen Zhengming, . How to face to style of avery kind of write, he combines his experience to try to explain, can see give its to understand to the profundity of copy. 1926, qi Baishi inscribes " picture scroll of Mr Leng An " Shi Yun: "Distinct stipple labour, the worry that start a person sees sharp edge of fine long hair. His New Year picture encloseds ground for growing trees 3000 generation, each not forgets to study this father in law. " try to praise to his work.
Make an appointment with 1927 around, picture wind of Hu Peiheng gradually hasten is mature, continueing to study a tradition while, produce increase independently, artistic individual character also appears come out. The work of after this has two kinds of aspect in the main, heavy and complicated of a kind of structure, tick off chapped close, cardinal principle is draw wind to change integratedly all the way from Wang Meng, Shi Xi, Wu Li and come; A kind of many wet pen, the structure has numerous have brief, multi-purpose splash-ink, pen line is brawny, it is jazzily with forceful ancestor, can see Shenyang Zhou Te is not Shi Tao's influence. Qin Zhongwen is in speak of what held in Beijing in August 1962 " exhibition of Hu Peiheng posthumous work " when, generalize work of Hu Peiheng early days with two words: It is " careful and lovely " , 2 say " the ability law that devotes oneself to successive ancient support of the people to absorb Mo Miao of advanced pen essence ceaselessly " ; Before one is to tell brushwork style, hind one is the close correlation that points out they and tradition. Nevertheless, early days of word of place of family name of the Qin Dynasty " careful " work, be with respect to art exhibition character, author place sees work of more than 200 early days, "Careful " make very not much, although these are made subtly, even if put,also contain and optional idiosyncratic, can say, can thick can fine, and no matter degree of finish, the temperament that even if ease is bold and unrestrained,flush wears.
50 time in order to fall, hu Peiheng seeks the new style that begs a landscape painting, arrive early or late along the line of Feng Sha railroad (1953) , Guangxi Guilin and Hunan Shaoshan (1956) sketchy. Among them Guilin is sketchy, it is ardently with dense ancestor, make the turning point of old age style. If what Qin Zhongwen says: "Keep Guilin view, of pen meaning hot, of atmosphere thick, of Qing Dai thick, red Huang Zhican, show bold and unrestrained and magnificent, with year the picturesque scene with old all, and the success that achieves the get rid of the stale and bring forth the fresh that he goes after. " specific say, the characteristic of this kind of new style is: Composition of a picture is concise, happy event take close shot feature article or story, have mountain no longer the picture of rows of mountains of heavy water answer, heavy hill; Writing massiness, tick off chapped stipple with doughty Jiao Mo more; Happy event with comparative and intense colour, wait like pink of azurite, a green pigment made of malachite, lead, kermes. Without exception of character, these work can be enjoyable with heavy colour, develop a school of one's own. Hu Peiheng is right oneself " decline year of political reform " very satisfactory also, the poem says: "Chrysanthemum of 10 thousand birthday fizzles out another year, decline year of political reform gas is towering. The setting sun is infinite spring often be in, shu Maoshan esteems evening more beautiful. Shu Maoshan esteems evening more beautiful..
Hu Peiheng's achievement, water of far more than Yu Shan draws creation. He is well-informed much can, appreciate of essence of life, article of poem of arrogate to oneself, much write, in art education and editor publish a domain also eminent has contribution. Its composing has " landscape introduction " , " brushwork of Wang Shi cereal picks out small " , " Chinese landscape painting decorates a law " , " Chinese landscape painting chooses liver mosses magic art " , " brushwork essay " , " Hu Peiheng is drawn. These composing are main target with learning to draw a young person, a book on the art of drawing or painting of be in harmony, art is Shi Zhi knowledge, traditional research of picture talking, painter and work appreciate are one, civil graph is united in wedlock, explain the profound things in a simple way, readable can face, be a kind new-style omnibus popularize reader, have bright times feature, extensive effect produced after publishing. These popularize sexual composing to also there is no lack of incisive opinion. If make at 20 time medium-term " brushwork of king stone cereal picks out small " , have feeling at be opposite Wang Shi cereal " the person of former times is like those deferentially, today what the person refuses again is such " state, be a guest watchs the criticism of evenhanded, radically reform. Article the artistic course from king stone cereal, face ancient, by the picture, comment each, of the changes that draw a clique, work " beautiful is nodded " with " bad is nodded " wait for each angle, made analyse in the round, although be read today,come, very wonderful still. He and its child introduced from the northern and western nationalities or from abroad closes write " Qi Baishi brushwork and appreciation " , the work that is brushwork of Qi Baishi of the first record and narrate, have very high art history value.
Column eaves " Hu Peiheng visit writes down Chinese picture a person of academic or artistic distinction " say, hu Peiheng " the circle is drawn in China, with class person be good at, this is general place is accepted. " Qian Baoang " foreword of rough sketch of person of Hu Peiheng class " say: "The gentleman's humanness also is like spring breeze, wintry day namely lukewarm also. Its teach a person also tireless, explore black horse is gotten bead. Explain the profound things in a simple way of its Yan Youneng, the ancients place of 100 thousand character cannot elucidator, gentleman not more than 10 character, can make namely abstruse essence justice abundantly clear. Forefathers predication, for fear that its are not black, the gentleman treats with scientific method, accept get twice the result with half the effort of pedagogue there's no one who doesn't or isn't so. " Hu Peiheng teachs his methodological reduce " first difficult hind easy way " " analytic law " etc, the rich experience of this respect, still remain we go disentomb and studying.
Hu Peiheng is an outstanding editor, early or late chief editor of seminar of Beijing University brushwork " draw learns a magazine " , of institute of art of Beijing University modelling " modelling art " with lake company " lake company monthly magazine " . Especially " lake company monthly magazine " , from 1927 start publication arrives 1937 10 years in all 100 period, it is before 20 centuries half leaf holds to one of art journals with the longest time, from beginning to end by Hu Peiheng chief editor. This print introduced a lot of Gu Jin's artists, published paint of many Gu Jin and picture talking book, return take up calligraphy, seal cutting, antique to collect, research of poetic word, bronze, demonstrated the ability of Hu Peiheng's broad horizon and many sided adequately. These journals had become research 20 century China the precious document of art history.
Hu Peiheng is Qi Baishi's friendship between generations. An album of paintings of the first Qi Baishi that published 1928, it is Hu Peiheng editorial, he is in " preface " in praise Qi Baishi " the gender is candid, xi Renxia, have ancient martyr wind " , " the artistic conception of work is deep and novel " . At the beginning of 30 time, hu Peiheng establishs in coloured glaze factory " leopard article fast " , management book direct, compiled and print books of a lot of an album of paintings, outside the composing besides introduced from the northern and western nationalities or from abroad him family name, still have " wash greatly child landscape essence imprints " , " Huang Zijiu Fu Chunshan resides a graph " , " Qi Baishi an album of paintings " , " rough sketch of person of the class in Xiao Qian " , " Xiao Qian, made contribution to promoting Chinese painting and calligraphy.