After the mid-nineteenth century, Paris emerged as the art capital of the world, attracting artists globally. Many Asian artists dreamed of studying in France. In 1921, Sanyu arrived in Paris through the Work-Study Movement (Mouvement Travail-Études), joining the first generation of Chinese artists in France. He became part of the School of Paris (École de Paris), a diverse group of international artists active between 1900 and 1960. Among them, the Japanese artist Tsuguharu Foujita was the most renowned Asian member and was often compared to Sanyu.

Around 1930, during the Japanese rule period, four of Taiwan's pioneering artists—Chen Ching-Fen, Yen Shui-Long, Liu Chi-Hsiang, and Yang San-Lang—studied in Japan and then in France under different circumstances. After World War II, Wu Guanzhong, Zao Wou-Ki, and Chu Teh-Chun, known as the Three Musketeers of Chinese Modern Art, successfully integrated into the post-war French art scene and were friends with Sanyu. Pan Yuliang, who arrived in France around the same time as Sanyu, and Yuan Shu-Jen, being part of the second generation of Chinese artists in France, were among the few women artists to study there. Shiy De-Jinn, who hailed from Sanyu's hometown in Sichuan, traveled to France in 1963. In 1966, he bid farewell to Sanyu at the airport as he returned to Taiwan, and they never met again. Sanyu's life connected three generations of artists and stories.The experiences and works of these artists reflect not only the mobility and migration of artists of the era but also the westernization of art in Asia and the strategies they adopted to navigate culture shock. Meanwhile, Paris became the legendary hub of the School of Paris, enriched by the talent of many international artists studying there.

The National Museum of History acquired 42 oil paintings by Sanyu from the Ministry of Education in 1968. Since then, through additional allocations and acquisitions, the museum now holds a total of 52 of his works. From 1978 to 2017, the museum hosted six exhibitions of Sanyu's art. With the museum’s reopening, the current exhibition focuses on the early to mid-20th century artistic interactions among Taiwan, Japan, China, and the French art scenes. By showcasing the works of Sanyu and other artists who studied in France, the exhibition aims to initiate a new phase in the study of Sanyu and modern Taiwanese art. It seeks to lead audiences to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the artistic exchanges and innovations that this history has fostered.