Caressing should be a happy and pleasurable act of intimacy and affection. This painting, however, shows the opposite, as in this case the act of caressing seems tainted with doubt and insecurity, no longer signifying intimacy between lovers, but serving simply as a means of communication. Engaging in the intimate act, the cartoon characters try to communicate deeper feelings and desire. Being ungentle carries no negative connotations; it is just an act. The painting is displayed as if it was a theater stage with passers-by taking casual glimpses of the actors in rehearsal.（Liao Yu-an）