Ma Quan,styled Jiangxiang, was active from the Kangxi reign to the Qianlong period. Ma Yuanyu, her father, was a painter well known for his great skills in painting flowers and birds. From childhood, she learned painting principles from her father and brother, painted tirelessly and engraved literary seals herself like "Jia Xue" (Family Learning) and "Lv Chuang Xue Hua" (Learning Painting under Green Window). Accoring to Tong Yin Lun Hua (Discussing Painting under Tung Tree) by Qin Zuyong of the Qing dynasty: "Ma Quan¡¯s flower paintings with free brushwork are characterized by beautiful and elegant colors and quiet and carefree spirits and are totally free from vulgarity¡­Her works with small-scale formats are noted for feminine brushwork and graceful taste." She was finally celebrated for her outline and wash techniques and acclaimed by the people in South China as "matchless painter" together with Yun Bing, who was famous for boneless method.