[Photo provided to China Daily]

"The market is huge and will continue to grow. It is just like sitting atop a volcano waiting for it to erupt."

According to a report on the online-art trade by insurer Hiscox, online art sales hit a record high of $3.27 billion in 2015,which sets the market on course for sales of $9.58 billion by 2020.

Separately, the mobile-art market is also drawing traditional dealers.

In March, Zhu says his app will collaborate with 10 galleries in China and some collectors to sell high-end pieces online, including works by big names like Wu Guanzhong, an oil painter whose works often fetch millions of yuan.

Zhu says his ultimate goal is to offer quality art to anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone.

"Stop saying that the Chinese don't have a taste for art. All they need is a good channel to access it," he says.