"The Paths of Modernity – French Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibition" kicked off Wednesday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

For the first time ever, 51 paintings by renowned French artists made their appearance in the city.

The exhibition is a joint effort by the Chengdu Museum and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Saint-Étienne Métropole, giving audiences a chance to view the development of modern art in France.

The exhibition includes works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Gustave Courbet, Henri Matisse and Pierre Soulages, with more than 10 art genres such as impressionism, symbolism and cubism.

Monet's four existing "Water Lilies" oil paintings are also on display, which are insured for 200 million yuan (30 million US dollars).

"The Citadel of Belle-lle," "Still Life with Jug, Glass and an Orange," "Peace of the People" and "Painting at June 19, 1979" are the most well-known masterpieces among all the exhibits.

The French Ambassador to China Jean-Maurice Ripert and other artists visited the Chengdu Museum on the day of the grand opening.

"I think we should give our friends a chance to appreciate the masterpiece of France. But it also has another meaning. We see the exhibition not only from France, but also from Italy, Spain, Poland, and Romania. For centuries, the connection of EU art history is based on a number of countries, communication and dialogue, and diversity to build our European culture. We want this cultural diversity and Chinese culture to connect," said Ripert.

The exhibition also witnessed great enthusiasm from the local residents who queued in long line outside the Chengdu Museum.

The exhibition runs through December 15.