The Painter Of Shanghai

A vivid work of historical fiction inspired by the life of Chinese modernist painter Pan Yuliang, this novel traces an extraordinary journey from poverty and prostitution in early twentieth-century China to artistic acclaim in Paris. Sold into a brothel as a child and later rescued by a customs official who becomes her patron and husband, Pan defies social conventions to pursue her training as an artist. As she develops a bold, modern style—often painting female nudes—she confronts scandal, exile, and the cost of ambition. Jennifer Cody Epstein brings emotional depth and rich historical detail to a story about art, identity, and the struggle for creative freedom in a rapidly changing world.