Li Guijun, an artist with a rigorous academic background, places strong emphasis on modeling of form and controlled presentation of space and composition, capturing intimate moments of beauty in finely detailed brushwork. "I wish that my works are like Bodhi Trees, which are beautiful, tranquil and thought provoking", says Li, In his 2004 work, Eternal Floating Happiness (Lot 1156), the artist captures a young lady who is lying on the bed and playing with balloon leisurely and illuminates a moment of peaceful stillness as a balloon floating in the air. Li makes reference to the way western paintings sometimes di v ide a compos i t ion into multiple scenes, and adroitly evokes the narrative sense also found in western classical painting by encapsulating different figures and actions in a single work. While Li Guijun adopts a western compositional style, Two Girls nevertheless has its own eastern ambience; Li expresses the pleasing lines of eastern women in his subjects' poses and attitudes, complementing them with the inclusion of both Chinese hardwood furniture. The work as a whole is thus a realist oil painting that embodies a traditional Chinese aesthetic. As we look back over the development of China's modern art, realism stands out as a brilliant chapter in its remarkable oil painting history. A century of realist depictions in oil testify to the shifting of social and political tides in China, and reflect the experiences of artists who early in the century braved the journey overseas to gain knowledge and then dedicated their lives to the advancement of modern Chinese art. Those artists planted the seeds of realist art in China and served as models for many of the realist artists of later decades. While by the 1980s realism was not the only creative direction being pursued in China, many Chinese artists have nevertheless chosen the realist path, which demands of them rigorous discipline and repeated practice, because they understand the direct and powerful visual message that realism delivers as viewers recognize and reflect on the subjects of their paintings and are moved in response. The creations of these artists are marvelous contributions to modern oil painting in China-genuine and deeply affecting, filled with an essential humanity and the rich flavor of real life.