Chen's mastery in depicting human figures was also found in keen observation of nature and animals. His subjects include landscapes, figures, birds and animals, still life studies and abstract compositions. Chen was especially adept at drawing egrets and monkeys. Among all the animal paintings by him, Chen's gibbon paintings stand out, as they were noted by Chen's attention to detail and sensitive rendering of the beautiful creatures. His first inspiration from painting gibbons came from a reproduction of a gibbon painting that formed the right triptych of the famous painting, "White Robed Guanyin, Crane and Gibbon" by the 13th-century Southern Song dynasty artist Muqi.