Autumn, on May 1, 1978 [Photo provided to China Daily]

He stayed there for the rest of life. He transformed from a figurative to an abstract style, integrating the unique strokes of Chinese calligraphy with the color palattes of Western art. It brought him success and made him the first ethnic Chinese artist to become a member of the Academy of Fine Arts of France.

Chu's art has become a favorite with art lovers on the Chinese mainland over the past two decades, and two of his paintings are due to appear at Poly Auction Hong Kong's autumn sales from Sept 30 to Oct 2.

Composition, No.169 was produced in 1968, a decade after Chu began to explore an abstract style. He adopted bold calligraphic strokes and a dominating black color to depict several blocks which evoke the mountains in a classic Chinese painting.

The other work to be auctioned, Autumn, May 1, 1978, shows his entire move into the realm of abstraction. The brilliant comparison between dark and light conveys strong elements of Chinese aesthetics.