Three sections
The exhibition in Shanghai is presented in three parts. The first, Transportation Between China and the West, outlines trade and exchanges between the country and Europe from the 16th to 18th centuries. As new sea routes were developed, Chinese porcelain reached more destinations in Europe, where it gained popularity among the wealthy.
The second part, Fusion Between China and the West, shows how Chinese porcelain integrated into and helped shape daily life in Europe. Visitors will find examples of this porcelain painted, mounted, modified, or intended as furnishings in Europe.
A digital reproduction of the domed ceilings at the Santos Palace in Portugal, decorated with Chinese porcelain, is among the exhibits in this section. Visitors will also discover Chinese Buddha statues repurposed as candle holders, celadon bowls redesigned as incense burners, and a Chinese incense container transformed into a cigarette box.
The third part of the display, Encounters Between China and the West, features fine examples of imitation Chinese porcelain and items made in China but bearing inscriptions from overseas. On some, Western words are written awkwardly by Chinese craftsmen, while others bear unrecognizable Chinese characters written by Western artisans.
One of the final exhibits visitors will see at the exhibition is a polychrome tile panel from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Created in the Dutch city of Delft between 1690 and 1720, the upper half of the panel depicts familiar figures from ancient Chinese folklore in a courtyard setting. The lower part features Chinese warriors on horseback encountering native Americans sporting feathered headdresses and wielding hunting spears.
Guiding journalists on a tour of the exhibition, Chen said: "Now that both sides know each other so well, we can easily point out incorrect details in these artworks, but do such stereotypes and wrong ideas still exist in our perception of each other?"
She added that as the exhibition starts from the Age of Exploration, perhaps visitors can experience not just a journey to discover new continents, but also gain a fresh understanding of the world.
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