Paintings of apricot blossoms and flowers in general, are auspicious and visually appealing. The apricot carried connotations of fertility and was thus a popular subject. Its flowers also represent a beautiful woman, thus a painting of it made a perfect wedding gift. It alluded to the beauty of the bride as well as embodied wishes for her fertility at the same time.Wu’s paintings were popular amongst both the elite and the masses. On the one hand, they were reflective of a scholarly gentleman’s works. This scholarly flavour was particularly desirable to the merchant class, many of whom hoped to elevate their social status through the acquisition of such items. On the other, Wu’s works were visually pleasing due to his use of bright and pure colours contrasted with varying tones of ink ranging from the murky to the solid black. It helped too that many of his colourful flowers, twisted vines, rocks and objects, embodied auspicious meanings.
