During the British colonial period from 1819 to 1942, Singapore served as a major hub for rubber production and processing, attracting a large number of Chinese immigrants who prospered in business. Xu Beihong's connection with Nanyang (Southeast Asia) began in 1925 during his stay in Paris when he met Huang Menggui, the Director of the Fujian Education Department, and his brother Huang Manshi (1890-1963). Huang Manshi, a prominent overseas Chinese figure in Southeast Asia, served as the General Manager of the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company in Singapore. He was fond of collecting antiques and calligraphy, and he entertained literati and scholars. From 1939 to 1941, during Xu Beihong's residence in Nanyang and India, he stayed at the Huang family's residence in Lorong 35, Jiangxia Tang, Geylang, where he held six art exhibitions. Most of Xu Beihong's extant artworks are from this period, making Singapore the place with the largest collection of his works outside of China. Huang Manshi was not only a close friend and confidant of Xu Beihong but also assisted him in organizing art exhibitions to raise funds for the war effort during World War II, and he introduced Xu Beihong to various chambers of commerce and distinguished figures.

During Xu Beihong's residence in Nanyang, wealthy businessmen and prominent figures commissioned him to paint oil portraits, including the Lim Bo Seng family, the couple Ho Kwong Yew, and the overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee. Among them, Christina Lee, the first wife of the prominent film tycoon in Singapore and Malaysia, Lu Yun Tao (Loke Wan Tho), hailed from a prestigious family. She was described as one of the most beautiful women in Singapore by the renowned Vogue magazine. With her grace, elegance, and abundant talent, she attracted several artistic masters to paint her portrait. This particular artwork titled "Portrait of Mrs. Lu Yun Tao (small draft)", was confirmed through historical documents and photographs to have been painted at the Bai Shan Zhai studio in Jiang-Xiatang in the year 1939.

On October 6, 1985, the Sunday edition of the Singapore Lianhe Wanbao News published the eleventh installment of the "Beihong in Nanyang" series. In the accompanying photographs taken by the artist Mr. Liu Kang, the model posing for Xu Beihong's portrait at that time was none other than Christina Lee herself. Although the article did not explicitly mention the model's name, it noted that she was the girlfriend of the then Deputy Consul of Belgium in Singapore. However, in 2019, the book "Spring Blossom: Xu Beihong in Southeast Asia 1939-1942," published by the "Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House," clearly identified the model in the same series of photographs, which included both the painter himself and the artwork, as Mrs. Lu Yun Tao. Another larger painting with a similar theme and composition is currently housed in the Xu Beihong Memorial Hall in Beijing. At that time, Xu Beihong was at the height of his career at the age of forty-four, producing a prolific amount of work. With only a few documented oil paintings in existence, the rarity of this piece is further highlighted, underscoring its preciousness.

The painting "Portrait of Mrs. Lu Yun Tao (small draft)" features a light-colored background that highlights the central figure. The subject sits elegantly and comfortably sideways on a chair, with her right elbow lightly resting on the back of the chair, turned slightly towards the rear. Her face is illuminated by the light source, with her gaze extending upwards and to the left, revealing her delicate features and beautiful appearance with clear brows and bright lips. Her shoulder-length black curly hair complements the colorful floral shirt, injecting a touch of modern Western elements into the painting. Xu Beihong meticulously employs rich oil painting brushstrokes to construct contrasts of light and shadow, creating a serene and warm atmosphere, which bears a significant resemblance to the tradition of French classicism. Simultaneously, within the Western portrait tradition, he incorporates elements from Chinese aesthetics, emphasizing form, meaning, substance, and rhythm, thus embodying the core idea of personal artistic creation, striving for breadth and detail. This has established him as an exemplar of early Chinese modern painting for future generations.