Absorb the Past; Abandon the Present

Qian Huian, active in Shanghai, was best known for his paintings of beautiful women, and historic and mythological figures, rendered in a distinct style. His figures appear eccentric and the color palette pale to pink. The album’s title, Absorb the Past, Abandon the Present , reflect the desire to find refuge in China’s Past, as the country was going through the devastating Taiping rebellion at the time the paintings were created.