From Dunhuang to global recognition

An Eagle Flies a Thousand Miles. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Xue often goes to the African grassland. Taking sightseeing cars on the African grasslands, he observed and sketched the facial expression and body movements of the animals and turned them into ultrarealistic oil paintings after returning to his atelier. The paintings make people feel as if he were personally on the scene.

"I will not stop my ultrarealistic painting until my eyesight and physical strength cannot support the work, because the observation and concentration required is extremely consuming."

For the past 14 years, Xue steps into his atelier at midnight and going to sleep at 4 am.

During the day, he now works as a lecturer at the School of Continuing Education at Renmin University of China.

"I enjoy the uneasy quietness of night. And I want to make full use of it on my paintings," he says.

Xue is one of the few domestic artists that concurrently enjoy the titles of National First-Class Chinese Painting Artist, National First-Class Oil Painting Artist as well as National Fine Arts Artist.