Zhou Zichen was issued a certificate for showing his collection from Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museum in Italy. [Photo/WeChat wxjywwx]

Zhou Zichen, a young man from Wuxi studying at the Rome University of Fine Arts, has managed to have his works shown at the Vatican Museum alongside masterpieces of Da Vinci and Raphael.

It's the first time works of Chinese artists have been shown at the world-renowned Vatican Museum. Under the recommendation of famous Italian artist Professor Pierluigi Berto, Zhou and three other Chinese overseas students won the glory of holding an exhibition of classical sketches there.

The exhibition also set a precedent for the Vatican Museum to display contemporary artists' works. Zhou uses several techniques to finish his paintings, which have been rarely seen in recent years. Zhou has developed a unique style to illustrate the world he sees.

Zhou Zichen has developed a unique artistic style to illustrate the world he sees. [Photo/WeChat wuxibobao]

The Vatican Museum used to be the Pope's palace and now has become one of the greatest museums in the world. It displays works from the immense collection amassed by Popes through the centuries including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The museum contains roughly 70,000 pieces, of which 20,000 are on display.

The Vatican Museum display various classic art works, including Hieronymus by Leonardo Da Vinci, The School of Athens by Raphael Santi and The Last Judgment by Michelangelo. Though its tickets cost a lot, countless visitors stand in long queues to pay respect to the most spectacular of human arts.