Xu Beihong began studying Chinese calligraphy with his father at age six, moving on to painting when he was nine. He was exposed to international art to an unusual degree for his time. Xu studied in Japan, attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris as China’s first state-sponsored student to study in Europe, traveled across Europe, and spent time in Berlin and Singapore. Upon his return to China, he founded the Nanjing Nanguo Fine Arts Academy. Xu studied, practiced, and taught elements of Western art such as oil painting, and he used techniques like foreshortening and shading to achieve greater realism in his traditional ink painting. Xu Beihong vigorously promoted Chinese artists in Europe, the United States, and south Asia. As president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the Chinese Artists’ Association Xu had tremendous influence over 20th-century Chinese artistic instruction and state policy. Xu Beihong had a personal association with the Chiu family. He sheltered with them during air raids in Guilin, and would sometimes paint while paying them a visit. On those occasions, Chiu’s older daughter prepared fresh ink for him. According to the donor, the painting of the magpie on a plum branch is a typical house-warming present.