Wuhu boasts advanced iron metallurgical industry as early as in the ancient times, and earned a reputation of "The iron will become steel automatically in Wuhu". It is the basis of the development of production skill of Wuhu iron picture. Iron picture, the specialty of Wuhu, Anhui province, was also called "Iron Flower" and it is one of the unique handicrafts in China originated in Song Dynasty and popular in Northern Song Dynasty. However its own style had not been formed until the reign period of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. Since then, Wuhu iron picture with a history of 340 years gradually became famous all around the world.
Iron picture is a kind of decorative picture with low carbon steel as its material by forging and welding iron plates and iron lines together. Absorbing the method of composition of a picture from traditional Chinese painting and combining different skills of handicrafts together such as folk paper-cut, sculpture and mosaic, the iron picture uses low carbon steel as its material and made through many times of polishing and forging, "using iron instead of ink and hammer instead of writing brush". The iron picture features the style of powerful and beautiful appearance, simple but elegant pattern, black alternating white, interpromotion of void and solid, similar to the traditional Chinese painting in spirit. It adopts the painting method of traditional Chinese painting, characterized by a unique appeal by contrasting white with black and harmoniously combining void and solid. Wuhu iron picture could be made with admirable workmanship into various artworks such as mountains and waters, human figures, animals and plants, flowers, insects, fish, fowls and beasts.
