"Extreme Illusion: Mao Zedong in Wheat Field" (2009) is one of the most thematically dynamic and visually compelling of the large-scale hyperreal figurative paintings by critically acclaimed Chinese Contemporary artist Liu Baomin that belongs to his iconic 'Extreme Illusion' Series. Here Mao Zedong's power and might disappear, re-contextualized by Liu in this work as an average, rural farmer, standing amidst golden fields of wheat in a wearing a crisp white shirt and broad-rimmed sun hat that is tied under his chin, replacing his standard military outfit and octagonal cap. The lush, fertile colors of blue, gold and green dominate the scene, with a smiling Mao the visual focus of the composition. Liu paints all of his "Extreme Illusion" works as fractured photo-realistic paintings, as if one is viewing Liu's portraits through fractured glass or sheets of rain. He pushes the boundaries of technique and medium with each work taking months to finish as he painstakingly applies paint one stroke at a time, often with single horse-hair bristle brushes. The oeuvre of Liu Baomin embraces complexity of shape, form, color, negative space and of course theme, to push visual and thematic boundaries to the extreme, where reality and fantasy co-exist in a singular and sublime manner. This painting measures 59.05 x 74.8 in (150 x 190 cm) and is in excellent condition.

Chinese artist Liu Baomin (China, B. 1968) is one of the famous members of the Chinese Avante-Garde and a founder of the Cynical Realsim Group in China. Liu's paintings has been the subject of numerous gallery and museum exhibitions in Asia, Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. including Zhuzao Art Museum (Beijing, China), Castle Art Museum (Tours, France), and Art Museum (Beijing, China).