In this book, Yan Geng examines Maoâs image from the perspective of its producers, focusing on four artists, chosen for both the diverse media they worked in and their diverse backgrounds. The book suggests an alternative perspective on the making of propaganda not only as a politically themed representation but also as an expression of artistsâ subjectivities and their roles as pivotal agents in the transition of modern Chinese art history. Maoâs Image: Artists and Chinaâs 1949 Transition demonstrates how artists portrayed Mao as the nationâs leader during the early Peopleâs Republic and what such images reveal about Chinese artistsâ experience during the Communist takeover of the country.
