Yuan Xiaolou's exhibition at the National Museum of China demonstrates his exploration of mineral pigments to convey the cultural spirit of the country. [Photo by Jiang Dong for China Daily]

People have used mineral pigments, the colors of nature, for tens of thousands of years to capture scenes of their lives and cultures, as rock paintings and murals vividly attest.

Yuan Xiaolou has been experimenting with these pigments, gifts from nature, for many years. He uses them to convey the weight of history and accumulation of culture in his paintings.

He seeks not only to interpret his feelings about the murals of Dunhuang in Gansu province, but also to express the cultural lineage and knowledge accumulated over time that bonds China and its people.

His one-man exhibition at the National Museum of China, Culturally Rich, shows the fruits of this long-term commitment.

Yuan mixes oil paints and mineral pigments, creating canvases with dense textures, and uses mostly light shades and grayish tones to convey a sense of calmness, especially when depicting the great cultural figures and philosophers of history.