This book contains a total of seven essays, taking the research approach of "Internet" and "class" to explore the social and cultural phenomena of art from the late Ming to the heyday of Qing. The so-called "network" refers to the connection or contrast formed by different people, groups, regions or fields (such as the palace and civil society), while the "class" refers to groups with different socioeconomic and cultural attributes, which can be Characters may also be works of art. Based on the social nature of people and objects, the author tries to escape the fixed-point linear understanding of a single painter or style genealogy research, and investigates visual objects or artistic narratives of different networks and classes during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and strives to show the painting and visual culture of the time. More comprehensive and three-dimensional images.

The first and second chapters focus on the late Ming painter Chen Hongshou, through the discussion of his later years of figure paintings and painting theory, outlines the life situation and cultural phenomenon of the literati class at that time; the third and fourth chapters turn the focus to the middle and lower classes. It explores the city images in the late Ming Dynasty and the painting and calligraphy images in the Fujian edition of daily-use books, trying to reconstruct the cultural consumption phenomenon of the general public at that time. Chapter 5 further discusses how the Qianlong court used the tradition of city maps to reshape the city image of Suzhou, and by perceiving the similarities between this image and the prints produced by Suzhou folk workshops in the choice of scenery or the angle of depiction, the central point was determined. Interaction with the place, as well as the entanglement of political power and cultural consumption. In the last two chapters, the author pays attention to the Suzhou prints in the 18th century. In addition to thinking about the historical positioning and cultural significance of Suzhou prints as a case of Sino-European art exchanges from its source of style and dissemination, it also discusses the commercial aspects of the printmaking industry and analyzes the art category at that time. Market development and consumption differentiation of cultural goods.

The research in this book is biased towards the history of social art, especially focusing on the art speech and commodities of the lower classes, and discussing them in the overall social culture, instead of confined to a few upper-level scholars and doctors who master the speech market and the taste of art. It can be seen that the interactive contrast between upper and lower classes, different regions or fields can be said to open up the boundaries of art history research. The large discussion of urban images in the book also opened the forefront of Chinese art history for art commercialization and art market research. Finally, observing the image exchanges between Europe and East Asia in the early modern period from the perspective of global history also reminds new issues in the art history of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.