An ink-and-wash painting Knife Fish, created by Wang Geyi in 1926, is on display at Geyi Art Gallery in Nantong. [Photo/Official WeChat account of Nantong bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism]

Geyi Art Gallery in Nantong opened to the public with bookings in advance required starting from May 7, local media outlets reported.

Built in 1989 near the Wenfeng Tower besides the Haohe River, the gallery is named after Wang Geyi, a renowned calligrapher and painter, as well as an expert in seal cutting. The gallery houses nearly 300 works by Wang.

Born in 1897 in Nantong's Haimen district, Wang started to learn from Chinese artist Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), one of the country's most popular painters, at 27 years old.

He took the post of deputy dean of the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy and became a member of the board of China Artists Association after the founding of the People's Republic of China.