Data sources of export paintings and characters.

As customized artistic commodities, export paintings mirrored Guangzhou’s unique overseas trade culture and social power in a microscopic view, nevertheless, few researchers have delved into the cultural relationship between the use of the painting techniques and the characters of the export paintings. Based on an iconographic approach, this article aims to analyze the historical iconography information of the Qing dynasty export paintings from the perspective of the trade development and cultural exchange between the East and West during the 18th century by the study of the export paintings’ characters expressions and costumes colors, providing insights into the exploration of the value of tangible cultural heritage. In the process of our research, shows that: 1) the dominant laboring characters in the export paintings present standing postures, and most of them demonstrate negative emotions; 2) many of the characters of the export paintings show high similarities due to the assembly-line mode of painting during manufacture; 3) the portrayal of the characters in the export paintings reflects a return of a sense of humanity. This is evident in the fact that the subject of the paintings abounds in the scenes showing local folklore, working views, and daily life in Guangzhou. Meanwhile, the characters in the painting are vividly portrayed in a realistic style. The use of mixed colors on the costumes of different characters reflects a universal value of having regard for the equality of all men; 4) Guangzhou export painting decorative art evolution of the development of the dual development of Chinese and Western fusion of veins. Guangzhou export paintings of the Qing dynasty satisfied the customers’ reverie for ‘Oriental Civilization’ and their purpose of seeking novelty of foreign cultures. It also revealed the subtle dynamics of the interplay between Guangzhou’s social power, trading capital, and blending art.