An exhibition of paintings by Chinese Han and Tibetan artists started on Monday, showing the sublime sceneries and traditional customs of China's Tibet.

Entitled as "Snow-Covered Plateau -- Chinese Painting Works," the six-day exhibition features 58 paintings depicting the extraordinary landscape of Tibet and the region's social and economic development in past 50 years.

Nyima Tsering, an artist from Tibet Autonomous Region of China, attends the Chinese and Italian artists cultural exchange conference in Rome, Italy, October 24, 2009. [Xinhua]

Before the opening ceremony, eight Chinese painting artists, half of them ethnic Tibetans, held a seminar with local artists, exchanging views on arts and cooperation.

The exhibition, held in central Milan, was sponsored by China's State Council Information Office and Artists Association, the Chinese Embassy in Italy and the Italy-China Foundation.

Another nine-day exhibition of the same theme started on October 23 with 60 paintings in Rome, a city with profound cultural heritages and artistic achievements.

Italian artist Cristiano Alviti attends the Chinese and Italian artists cultural exchange conference in Rome, Italy, October 24, 2009. [Xinhua]

These exhibitions followed a two-day forum on the development of Tibet in the Italian capital, which attracted more than 400 participants from China, Italy, Austria, the United States, India, Australia, Spain and Belgium.

More than 20 Chinese and foreign government officials, experts, scholars and entrepreneurs spoke on the achievements of Tibet and how to seize opportunities for cooperation in various fields.