In terms of artistic value, the 230 pictures almost contain all the contents of painting, from the landscape and figures, to trees and flowers, to pavilions and towers, to birds and animals, to bridges and sedan chairs , and to apparitions and immortals, etc, centering on the main scenarios and leading roles. The figures in the album number over 3,700. Realism is adopted in the pictures, emphasizing facial descriptions, endowing the figures with animation. The young women in the picture, with their crescent eyebrows, thin eyes, rosebud mouths, sylphlike shapes, long necks and fragile shoulders, give the impression of slender, gentle, lovely and extremely delicate ladies. Their fineries, baldrics and flowers are not only prominently painted, but also dyed with golden paint, giving prominence to the image's magnificence. The chains of mountains and rocks in the lake were painted in azurite, mineral green or ochre, forming a harmonious contrast with the warm colors of the fineries and flowers. The pictures are very striking and take on a bright and elegant air. The painting of pavilions and towers has absorbed western style and skill in terms of design of close and distant views, and the light and shade of the arches, pillars, window lattices and porticos.

The painter was not only very familiar with the content of the novel but also had some unique insight on the issue. The mountains, stones and trees were painted like apparitions as if covetously eyeing the childlike women, which reflected the artist's cognition that "the Grand Garden is not a paradise but is full of crises and traps".

Given the elaborate scenarios, refined painting skills and great length, the album is a rare representative among artworks with the same theme from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

  Identity unknown

Each picture in the whole album was meticulously painted with great ingenuity. According to some experts, the pictures with features of folk paintings must be the works of an outstanding folk limner. Textual research indicates that it took 20 years or so to finish such a huge picture album, equaling the time and efforts Cao Xueqin spent on creating A Dream of Red Mansions.

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