Green Dynamics by Chu Teh-chun.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Various works are on display to celebrate the enduring and creative ties between the two countries, Lin Qi reports.

France has a special meaning for modern Chinese art.

In the first half of the 20th century, the European country, almost a byword for artistic endeavor, was the destination for young Chinese artists who aspired to brush up, literally, their techniques and broaden their visions of art. Many of them attended renowned institutions, including the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris and the Academy de la Grand Chaumiere.

And they returned home to refresh the outlook of Chinese art at the time. For decades afterwards and until the present day, their influence is evident in the work of artists covering several generations.