Ye Qianyu's monumental work A Great Unity of the Nation. It is not on show at the current exhibition. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ye Qianyu (1907-95) stands out among the pantheon of modern Chinese artists. He didn't train at a formal art school, yet carved out a niche with his talent, insight and diligence.

His classical Chinese-style work, A Great Unity of the Nation, is monumental. The piece created in 1953 depicts Mao Zedong and premier Zhou Enlai making a toast to the country's future and being surrounded by dancing and singing people from different ethnic groups.

The painting, which is considered a classic of Chinese socialist realism, is now in the collection of the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.