Shanghai Daily news

The biggest show being held at the Shanghai Museum this year is one of the concluding events of "The Year of France in China" and is a salute to the era of the greatest of French monarchs - Louis XIV, writes Wang Jie.
Louis XIV (1638-1715), France's "Sun King," is ready to receive guests at his luminous Chateau of Versailles - but the venue has been changed from Paris to the Shanghai Museum.
Entitled "Louis XIV, The Sun King: Treasures from the Chateau de Versailles," the show is part of "The Year of France in China" and a counterpart of the exhibition featuring China's early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722) who was a contemporary of Louis XIV. The Kangxi exhibition was held in the Chateau of Versailles a year ago and was a great success with the French public.
Nearly 80 artworks are on display at the Shanghai Museum ranging from oil paintings and sculptures to furniture and silverware. They are on loan from the Versailles Chateau Museum and the Leblanc Duvernoy Museum.
"It is one of the museum's biggest shows of the year," says Li Feng, spokesman for the Shanghai Museum. "In order to vividly reflect the luxury of this royal palace, we have made a replica based on the original."
To the accompaniment of music from the period as if played by royal musicians, visitors can gaze on the huge carpet wall hangings, the gilded couch and table and other artifacts from the private world of Louis XIV, one of the greatest kings in French history who raised his country to greatness in Europe in the 17th century.
During his reign of nearly 70 years, Louis XIV was an advocate of French expansionism through war though he regretted this in his last years. However, perhaps it was because of his aggressiveness and unyielding character that his country became so formidable in Europe.
The exhibition shortens the distance between visitors and the king through a series of portraits of Louis XIV. From a nine-year-old boy with innocent eyes to the ambitious and arrogant young king that he became, from the armored warrior on horseback to the monarch attired in extravagant finery receiving a foreign delegation, the portraits follow Louis XIV through different stages of his life.
But when considering what was his greatest achievement, Chateau of Versailles was the most glorious gift that he left to the world.
Located about 18 kilometers from Paris, Chateau of Versailles was originally a small village. In the 1720s, Louis XIII (the king's grandfather) built a shooting box there. Louis XIV ordered a thorough reconstruction and the project lasted around 30 years.
Today, Chateau of Versailles is one of the world's major tourist destinations and one of France's cultural icons.
For those who have never been to Chateau of Versailles, the canvases of Etienne Allegrain (1644-1736) and Pierre-Denis Martin (1663-1742) provide a panoramic view of how dazzling the palace complex was and still is.
A huge photograph in the exhibition shows the splendid "Hall of Mirrors," noted for its 357 mirrors. The photo is hung cleverly beside two large mirrors, creating a perspective of the "Hall of Mirrors" that stretches out before visitors.
Another exhibit is of a small model boat. It is a replica of the real one that used to sail along the long canal in the garden of Versailles.
The sculpture of "Apollo," the Sun God in Greek mythology, again reminds visitors of the long shadow cast by the "Sun King" as he extended the power of France across Europe.

Date: through November 30, 9am-5pm
Address: 201 People's Avenue
Admission: 20 yuan
Tel: 6372-3500