Born in 1963 in Dandong, the Liaoning Province of China, Liu Baojun, who has been an artist for 38 years now, began teaching himself about painting at the age of 7. He came to Shanghai in 2003 where he launched his unique artistic style. Since then, Liu has been reputed as one of the most representative painters in China. His unmatched and exquisite style, made clear in the Pipe-smoking Women series, has made his work the most sought-after in the art market.

Liu is masterful when it comes to meticulous details with his proficient skill and exquisite touch. Both in turn compliment his perfect control over the manipulation of colors and shadows. The artist's aesthetic in his painting is full of rich textures. He depicts the beauty of tranquility through the figures in his paintings, either sitting in front of desks or reclining in chairs, revealing relaxed or lazy expressions. Every work is refined from deep life experiences through a rich and vivid painting language. Roaming in between realism and modernism, the artist demonstrates his gift in style manipulation. Even though Liu possesses a profound understanding in the style of traditional and modern art expressions, the very core is the content itself. From a traditional prospective, his works reveal a gentle and warm aesthetic appeal. While being mingled with the tradition of the modern arts, his works not only brim with passions and vitalities, but also a classic mellowness.