The ink painting, Herald of Chunfeng Village, portrays Wang Jiayuan, a Party official, by artist Liu Qinghe from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. The painting is among many such works on show at the National Museum of China that focus on role models. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The exhibition, The Most Beautiful Chinese, features 21 such paintings, each hailing a role model like Wang.

The role models have been picked by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee for their contributions to the grassroots.

The exhibition, ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, comprises works by 42 artists commissioned by the China Artists Association.

Wang Yingsheng, another professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, portrays Gabulong (1926-2011), a Party member of Mongolian descent and a former deputy head of Qinghai province.

"Gabulong lived a simple life. For instance, he refused to move into a residential compound for senior government officials. He said it would make it difficult for his friends living in the pastoral area to find him, when they needed him. So, he remained staying at an old adobe house," says the artist.

"He sought no privileges either for himself or his family. All his life, he treated himself as an ordinary member of society. The approach is touching."