Honoring history and victory on canvas

陈小将

This year marks the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). An epic of the Chinese people's fight against foreign invasion — their bloodshed and sacrifices to secure national independence and liberation, this war stands as a pivotal historic landmark in the nation's journey from suffering to rejuvenation.

Its triumph is not only a glory of the Chinese people but also a cornerstone of victory in the world anti-fascist war. Artists from the Times' Palette Art Academy Alliance, a collaboration between China Daily and top Chinese art schools to promote China's culture globally, have wielded the brush to reignite the flames of that war-torn era on canvas and recreate the grandeur and pathos of the Chinese people's great struggle. Strokes and hues delineate not merely artistic images, but the resolute integrity of the Chinese people; light, shadow, and composition reenact not just fragments of history, but the indomitable spirit of a nation united as one. To honor history and cherish the memory of martyrs, we have selected six artworks to take readers back to those unyielding years.