# CultiVerse: Towards Cross-Cultural Understanding for Paintings with Large Language Model

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.00435 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.00435/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 1 May 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Survey of Cultural Awareness in Language Models: Text and Beyond](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.00860/) (2024)
- [LLM-GLOBE: A Benchmark Evaluating the Cultural Values Embedded in LLM Output](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.06032/) (2024)
- [SaudiCulture: A Benchmark for Evaluating Large Language Models Cultural Competence within Saudi Arabia](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.17485/) (2025)
- [Vision Language Models are Confused Tourists](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.17004/) (2025)
- [HanMoVLM: Large Vision-Language Models for Professional Artistic Painting Evaluation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.10814/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The integration of new technology with cultural studies enhances our understanding of cultural heritage but often struggles to connect with diverse audiences. It is challenging to align personal interpretations with the intended meanings across different cultures. Our study investigates the important factors in appreciating art from a cross-cultural perspective. We explore the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) to bridge the cultural and language barriers in understanding Traditional Chinese Paintings (TCPs). We present CultiVerse, a visual analytics system that utilizes LLMs within a mixed-initiative framework, enhancing interpretative appreciation of TCP in a cross-cultural dialogue. CultiVerse addresses the challenge of translating the nuanced symbolism in art, which involves interpreting complex cultural contexts, aligning cross-cultural symbols, and validating cultural acceptance. CultiVerse integrates an interactive interface with the analytical capability of LLMs to explore a curated TCP dataset, facilitating the analysis of multifaceted symbolic meanings and the exploration of cross-cultural serendipitous discoveries. Empirical evaluations affirm that CultiVerse significantly improves cross-cultural understanding, offering deeper insights and engaging art appreciation.