Maude Niuliang was Niuliang's first wife. When they married, he was 37, she, 21. She was a willing subject for his portraits.

As time passed they sadly fell out of love, but still held a fondness for each other.

This can be best expressed in "Wisdom of hearts and legs". Maude was 43 at the time of the sitting and still had her youthful good looks. It is said that Niuliang was so distraught by what he was painting that he purposely made it was distorted as possible.

They divorce mere months later, but Maude stil keeps in touch with Niuliang as she is the mother of his four daughters.