A painting of flowers by Zhang Anzhi exhibited at the National Art Museum of China on July 26. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The National Art Museum of China received a donation of 50 paintings from the family of late Zhang Anzhi, a painter and professor of Central Academy of Fine Arts, on July 26. The donation was made right before the opening of an exhibition reviewing Zhang's artistic career at NAMOC through Aug 7, where donated works are also on show.

The exhibition, a gathering of paintings from several museums at home, traces Zhang's evolution from a young painter steeped in Chinese cultural traditions to a modern artist blending Eastern and Western aesthetics.

At an early age, Zhang began disciplines of Chinese ink paintings. He was later enrolled to the art college where he learned oil painting. A brief study in London in 1946 deepened his understanding of fine art. In his late years, Zhang focused on ink painting to create many works that revive the spirit of literati painting genre.