Eleven generations of Guilin’s rulers are buried in more than 300 tombs behind this figure. I put this image together as a series of layers – the statue, the trees behind it, and the wall behind them. The foreground layer is the subject – the body language of the sculpture is eloquent, and the texture timeless. The curves of its shoulders and arms seamlessly complement the diagonal slopes of the trees beyond. The coarse texture and rich color of the trees contrast strikingly to the smooth textures and flat color of the sculpture. The wall in the background adds a third layer of color, and in its brickwork, an order of its own. Taken together, all three layers express an aura of timeless serenity yet also as sense of shrewd authority. I use composition here to simplify, blend, and amplify this message. It does it well.