How great thou art

Song Art, a gallery on Beijing's northeastern outskirts. [Photo provided to China Daily]

For some it may be hard to believe that this used to be a stud farm. Now, where the best of the equine world once produced their progeny, it is fine art that holds sway.

This is the latest addition to Beijing's art world, a gallery on the capital's northeastern outskirts, on land on which 60 horses used to roam and breed, now a long stretch of lawn on which stands a two-storey white row building and 199 pine trees.

Inside the building, visitors have access to a display of nearly 80 oil paintings, sculptures and photos of modern Chinese and Western master artists. They are from a private collection that has been pulled together over more than 20 years, bought at auctions and art fairs all over the world.

The museum housing this collection is just one of many that have sprung up around China over the past seven years heralding what seems to be a golden era for Chinese private art collections.

Since a test run at the end of September, the Beijing gallery, Song Art, has been hailed as a small, elegant weekend retreat and as one of the most beautiful private museums in China. In the gallery's name those impressive pines outside find their reflection, song being Chinese for pine.