Pith Paper painting exhibition underway in Guangzhou

An exhibition of pith paper paintings, or water color paintings on pith paper, is being held at Cultural Park in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

A pith paper work featuring a bird and flowers displayed at the exhibition held at Cultural Park in Guangzhou. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Dubbed "Oriental Postcards",  pith paper paintings first became popular as a cultural export in Guangzhou, then known as Canton, during the 19th century. The paintings catered to Western aesthetic tastes and made use of Western perspective techniques, thereby opening Western eyes to the southern Chinese city. They covered a wide range of themes, including the Guangzhou harbor, social customs, portraits, animals, plants, Cantonese opera and silk making.

Pith paper paintings boomed in Guangzhou during the 19th century, especially among foreign markets. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The exhibition began on April 24 and will last until May 24. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]