Early days of painting industry

China didn't start to produce commercial oil paintings en masse until the early 1980s. The industry was then just leaving developed countries and regions, such as South Korea and Hong Kong, to reduce its costs.

Both Putian and Xiamen, cities in Fujian province, claim to be the places where commercial paintings were first produced in China.

The general consensus, though, is that Putian was the main force in the early years of China's oil painting industry.

At its peak, the business in Putian employed some 20,000 people who earned their living by painting, making frames and engaging in a variety of related activities.

Many of them eventually left to pursue careers in places that are better connected to overseas markets, such as Shenzhen and Xiamen, bringing the number down to 10,000.

Dafen village in Shenzhen was a latecomer to the industry. In 1989, the Hong Kong painter and businessman Wong Kong led a group of students that were producing replicas of famous artworks. More and more painters followed suit.

The endeavor was successful and the demand for oil paintings increased, making Dafen known both in and outside of China.

The village today is no longer a poor place inhabited by about 300 people. It has instead become a bustling center for the global trade in oil paintings, as evidenced by its 1,100 art galleries.

See more news about commercial paintings in China:

Small city looks at the big picture