Battle by Xu Beihong. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

He said Xu Beihong didn't leave much money to the family when he died of a brain hemorrhage at 58, because he spent a larger part of his wages and savings on collecting paintings.

"I remembered that antique shops visited our house two to three times a week. They brought paintings that my father would be interested in buying. He collected more than 1,200 paintings, some dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and of modern masters like Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi. They were the sheer pleasure of his life.

"He thought about building an art museum to show his collections. Also he shared his collections with students so that they better understood Chinese painting and knew how to create."

Liao Jingwen, mother of Xu Qingping, died suddenly at her Beijing home last month. She was 92.

The day her husband died, Liao donated his collection and the family property to the country, which were later converted into the Xu Beihong Memorial.