Born into an impoverished family, Chinnici was raised by his mother in the small city of Meri in Sicily. Although he received instruction from other Italian painters, he never undertook formal training at an art academy.

"Chinnici's works are highly intuitive. They may not exhibit flawless technical accuracy, but precisely because of this, his creations transcend the boundaries between the art and the heart, possessing the power to move the audience," Zhu says.

Zhu adds that his painting style, unaffected by the academicism of the Western tradition, can also serve as an inspiration for Chinese art students to exercise their creativity and pursue more expressive approaches to painting.