China has undergone political upheavals throughout the 20th century. Since the 1949 establishment, Chinese art started to show its departure from traditional ink paintings. People's lives, as a central subject for the new generation of art, have become the source of inspiration to both art and literature. The authority intentionally sent artists to factories, countryside or the army, and used art as merely an instrument to serve politics, cutting off any sort of liberal thoughts. When the Cultural Revolution came to an end in 1976, a representational depiction of common life has already become the main subject in art creation. Realism became the main stream in the development of Chinese oil paintings. Wang Yidong is a leading figure among artists working in the realm of realist classical paintings. Wang was born in a mountain village of Shandong Yimeng, the rural scenery has been deeply imprinted in his mind and constantly reflected in his works. The mountain villagers have also become a main source for his artistic creation. In figure paintings, Wang is known for impeccable depiction of young girls' expression and posture. He is also famous for using symbolic objects to express visual meanings. "Chinese red", "magpies" and "cats" are often seen in the background of the portraiture.

Bird of Luck (Lot 169) was created in 2003. Wang Yidong, in his signature style, painted a blue magpie behind the young girl who occupies the foreground. The symbolic meaning of magpie is extremely rich and auspicious in Chinese culture, it brings good fortune and happiness. Magpie is always cheerfully described in Chinese poems and couplet scrolls. Legend goes that on Chinese Valentine's Day magpies would fly to the Milky Way every year to make up a bridge for the rendezvous between Niulang and Zhinv, the cowherd and the weaving girl who are lovers but forced to be separated. Thus the magpies represent luck, joy and love. In the painting, the girl dressed up in red creates a jubilant atmosphere and her youthful face shows her great anticipation for happiness. A blue magpie flying behind the girl expresses the hope that the girl's happiness would finally arrive in near future.