A plaster work by French sculptor James Pradier (1790-1852) is on show at Shanghai Museum through Feb 9.[Photo provided to China Daily]

In 2015, the school presented its first exhibition in China, titled A Master and His Master, in Shanghai, juxtaposing the collections of the Xu Beihong Museum with artworks from Paris, marking the first direct confrontation of Chinese ink art and Western paintings, according to Philippe Cinquini, curator of the exhibition at Shanghai Museum.

The Beaux-Arts de Paris is located in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres section of Paris and remains a popular destination for Chinese students. Every year, the school receives about 100 applications from China, says Stibbe.