Bouquet du Sud [Photo provided to China Daily]

Moscow-born Lavrenty Bruni, 56, hails from a Russian artist family which has for 19 generations been producing outstanding painters since the early 19th century.

Now Bruni has come to Beijing showing his 100 paintings at a solo exhibition, Road to China, at the Poly Art Museum through Sept 29. The oil paintings, watercolors, sketches and pencil paintings on display bear the subjects of flowers and ballet dancers.

Talking about his art, Bruni says, "Art should not be too complicated. Women and flowers are the most beautiful things on earth, and thereafter they are probably the simplest choices of art subjects.

"But meanwhile, they are extraordinary that deserve lifelong practice."