Qi BAISHI (1864-1957), born in Xiangtan County, Hunan Province, was a great master of Chinese art. He devoted his life to painting and left an important body of works to posterity. His painting enjoys an international reputation.

Qi Baishi inherited both traditional Chinese freehand brushwork and folk art techniques and gradually fused and assimilated them. Thanks to penetrating observation and consistent exploring, he blended and refined his techniques of painting and achieved a unique artistic style.

Likeness & Unlikeness-Selected Paintings of Qi Baishi covers representative works in the 74 years between 1883 and 1957. There are, in all, 150 paintings including landscapes, human figures, flowers, birds, insects and fish, most of them published for the first time.

Cai Ruohong, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Artists' Association, contributes a preface in which he considers the paintings' characteristic style in relation to the aesthetics of Chinese art. Hu Tuo, a disciple of Qi Baishi, discusses technical aspects and shares his first-hand experience and knowledge, providing insight into the actual art process in his appreciation of the work. The album includes a detailed chronology of Qi Baishi's personal life and professional development, providing an overview as well as a historical and cultural context for Qi Baishi artistic achievement.