ST. PETERSBURG -- An exhibition devoted to paintings of the Tibetan mastiff by Chinese artist Lin Yue on Wednesday opened in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.

Hosted by the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum, the ' Veneration of Life' exhibition, part of a global tour in honor of the Tibetan mastiff, featured several dozen paintings of the animals in their native Tibetan habitat and in the company of their Tibetan masters.

The Tibetan mastiff is famed throughout China for its loyalty to their masters. Lin's work has been interpreted as an attempt to

find a globally comprehensible artistic language to depict the relationship between human and the Tibetan mastiff.

Timed to coincide with the Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia, Wednesday's opening attracted a healthy crowd of local art enthusiasts.

The 'Veneration of Life' exhibition runs until June 9.