As part of an art class assignment to do at home, students from Donggang Primary School in Lanzhou, Gansu province, recently imitated figures from famous paintings. It was an amusing and educational way to pass the time during the coronavirus epidemic.

The paintings they chose to imitate included Mona Lisa by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci and Self Portrait Dedicated to Dr Eloesser by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Kang Na, the art teacher at the school in Chengguan district who assigned the homework, said she hoped to enhance parent-child communication, and help students obtain art knowledge during the long stay at home after group classes were canceled.

The students attempted to capture both the physical poses and inner character of the painted portraits through details such as expressions and gestures.

Children may dress up using their mothers' earrings, a grandmother's scarf or a dad's guitar, along with vases and pets found at home to create a vivid set similar to the chosen painting.

He Jing, the mother of a student, said her child was enthusiastic about getting all the details right and did a lot of background research online.