In spring 1923, Xu Beihong returned to Paris to continue to study. Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret had him study hard to “perfect painting the human form in oil. Study every part, working to embody the subtleties. Do not simply make something that dazzles the eye.” After Xu put this into practice, he found it remarkably effective.
In May, Portrait of an Old Woman was exhibited at the French National Art Exhibition (Salon).
-Li Song, Chronicle of Xu Beihong