Dubbed both the “Matisse of the East” and the “Modern Bada Shanren,” Ding Yanyong achieved a deft synthesis of Eastern and Western aesthetics. While studying at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in the 1920s, Ding first encountered the works of Henri Matisse. In Ding’s early oil paintings, his vivid colors, flat decorative surfaces, and lively lines reflect the influence of the great Fauvist master. It was not until the early 1930s that Ding discovered the intellectual depth and expressive quality of Chinese traditions, including ancient calligraphy, archaeological artifacts, archaic seals, and the paintings of 17th-century Chinese master Bada Shanren.

Profoundly influenced by Bada Shanren, Ding was particularly recognized for his paintings of flowers, birds, and figures executed in a simple, naïve, and expressive style. Like his Western and Eastern idols, Ding was never concerned with accuracy in rendering his subjects; instead, he strove to capture their spirit in a style unique to his own. The Stems in Dew-Kissed Lotus at Dawn flow with the muscular and breathing linear effect of traditional calligraphy, yet they also develop naturally, unrestrained and fluid, with a slight hint of clumsiness. Similar to the lotus flowers, Ding’s distinctive cursive calligraphy imbues the painting with a layer of liveliness. The harmonic interaction between the two precisely reflects a thousand-year-old wisdom: ink painting and calligraphy share the same origin.

被誉为“东方的马蒂斯”和“现代八大山人”，丁衍庸成功地综合了东西方美学。在1920年代在东京美术学校学习期间，丁衍庸首次接触到亨利·马蒂斯的作品。在丁衍庸早期的油画作品中，鲜艳的色彩、平面并具有装饰性的画面和活泼的线条反映了这位伟大的野兽派大师对其的影响。直到1930年代初期，丁衍庸才发觉了中国传统所具有的深度和表现力，包括古代书法、考古文物、古印章以及17世纪中国大师八大山人的绘画作品。

深受八大山人影响，丁衍庸以简单、天真并富有表现力的风格著称于其描绘花鸟和人物的画作。与他的西方和东方偶像一样，丁衍庸从不关心对主题的精确再现；相反，他努力去捕捉它们的精神，并以自己独特的风格呈现。《菡萏晓露》中呈现的花茎具有传统书法的肌肉感和呼吸感的线条效果，同时它们略显笨拙的姿态也展现了自然地生长，自由流动的原生性。与荷花类似，丁衍庸独特的草书风格为画作增添了一层生动感。这两者之间的和谐互动精确地反映了书画同源这一千古智慧。