Hong Kong Exhibition｜Meet Familiar Faces from Textbooks and Gossip

🖼️Exhibition Theme: When the Forbidden City Meets Versailles—Cultural Exchange between China and France in the 17th and 18th Centuries 📍Location: Hong Kong Palace Museum 📆Exhibition Period: December 18, 2024—May 4, 2025 🕙Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 10:00-18:00; Friday, Saturday and public holidays until 20:00; Closed on Tuesdays 🎫：1⃣️8⃣️0⃣️ 🏮In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Forbidden City in China and the Palace of Versailles in France represented the political, cultural, and artistic centers of the two countries respectively. Under the leadership of the courts of both countries, China and France engaged in extensive and profound exchanges. 🏮This exhibition features nearly 150 precious artifacts from the collections of the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles. Through four sections—Two Palaces, Science and Diplomacy, Mutual Learning and Innovation in Crafts, and Art and New Knowledge—the exhibition showcases the cultural exchange between China and France in various fields during the 17th and 18th centuries. 👀Viewing Tips: 🎨In this exhibition, you can see portraits of members of the Chinese and French royal families, as well as cultural figures such as Madame de Pompadour and Voltaire, from the 17th and 18th centuries. I used to only see these paintings in textbooks, and seeing the original portraits in person felt like meeting old acquaintances! 📐Previous exhibitions on the same theme mainly focused on Sino-French trade, while this exhibition dedicates a chapter to scientific and technological exchanges between the two countries. A series of exquisite measuring and mathematical tools are both advanced and elegant, and surprisingly, there's even a "calculator"! 📿The crafts and arts section showcases collaborative works by Chinese and French artisans, as well as works created using each other's techniques and painting styles. You'll see amusing differences in Chinese and Western aesthetics in exhibits such as portraits of Emperor Qianlong and Confucius with Westernized faces, and Western ladies depicted in Qing Dynasty painting style. 🌟Special praise for the lighting at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which is neither too reflective nor too dim. The two light and shadow exhibition areas, although not large, offer a great sense of immersion without being harsh on the eyes. ⚱️Impressive Exhibits: 🪄Perfume Fountain Chinese porcelain bottle + French ornaments, this is one of the representative collaborative works of artisans from both countries in this exhibition. 🪄Large Ocean Pattern Brocade It's hard to imagine that it dates back to the 1700s just by looking at the pattern. It's so ahead of its time! 🪄Portrait of Emperor Qianlong on Porcelain Plaque The interactive screen next to it provides a detailed and intuitive interpretation of this exhibit. Try the interactive features! 🚗Transportation Information: Shuttle Bus: Exit J1 of West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station, W4 (service available only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) Minibus: Exit D2 of Austin MTR Station, CX1 (daily)