Three oil paintings that reflect different historic events by artist Chen Kezhi were recently added to a collection at the National Museum of China in Beijing.

One work portrays Deng Shichang, a high-ranking military officer of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). He went down with his ship, Zhiyuan, which was sunk during a battle of the Sino-Japanese War in 1894. The admiral has been awarded as a national hero.

Another painting shows the catastrophic scenes of the Bombing of Chongqing, sustained air raids conducted by Japanese armies against Chongqing from 1938 to 1943, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). In order to paint the work, Chen said he studied historic photos, old maps and documentaries, and interviewed survivors.

The third work is a tribute to the medical works and other members of society who have made contributions in the COVID-19 pandemic.