Artist influences come from personal preferences, exposure to varied styles and sometimes from heritage. The Marta family lineage includes several artists, including Giuseppe Castiglione.

Giuseppe Castiglione was born in Milan in 1688, studied as a Jesuit and painted murals in Italy, Portugal and Macau before arriving in China where he went by the Chinese name Lang Shining. Lang became a court painter for two emperors and was revered for his blending of Chinese and western painting techniques. We love his work. 

Here are a few links in case you'd like to learn more about Giuseppe.

• There is a tremendous exhibit of his works at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. This unique exhibit features his historical work as well as modern digital interpretations of the work.
• An interesting post from The Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence
• A short video promoting a multi-part series by China's Nanjing TV