Background

The Taohuawu Woodprint New Year Picture first appeared in the late Ming Dynasty and became popular during the reign of emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the most widespread folk New Year picture school in southern China, featuring woodcut process printing and coloring. In its early stage, the pictures of ladies, landscapes and flowers usually adopted the traditional composition and were of a graceful style. Pictures of the style of copperplate engraving emerged in the middle period of the Qing Dynasty under European influence. Later on the subject matters tented to be close to people's daily life and work. Most of the pictures express wishes for good fortune, or show opera stories, current events and customs, which the folks are fond of. The pictures are decorative, and popular for their techniques of exaggeration, vivid and bright colors, rich and lively contents.

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