From the middle 19th century to the early 20th century, the city ofShanghaiwith its booming economy became a commercial center inChina. It gradually replaced the important economic position ofSuzhouandYangzhou. Great painters also came toShanghaiand the last painting school in modern Chinese painting history, theSeaPaintingSchool, emerged.Shanghaiwas influenced greatly by foreign cultures, thus presenting paintings and calligraphy works as gifts became a common phenomenon. The economic nature promoted the booming of the art activities in this region. Paintings of theSeaSchoolpainters have the following characteristics: first, paintings of flowers and birds occupied the largest number, and painters showed more attention to the content not the formation. Secondly, all the paintings, no matter flowers and birds or human figures, took in the techniques of symbolization. And third, the design and the color were both elegant and bright in order to meet the commercial demands. This style was obviously influenced by the western fine arts and met the taste of ordinary people.

Other famous painters of the Qing Dynasty included Hu Gongshou, Lu Hui, Wu Shijie, Cheng Zhang and etc., all of whom had influenced the development of painting styles of the later generations. Besides pursuing elegance, the painters all made their living by selling paintings.

Painters of theShanghaiSchoolinherited traditional Chinese painting techniques, but became more realistic to meet the commercial demands of their society. They played a transitional role between classical and modern Chinese painting.