
Time: Oct. 19, 2008 - Feb. 7, 2009
Bronzes are true monuments of the history of arts in China’s antiquity. The Shouyang Studio collection in New York, USA of over one hundred pieces of ancient Chinese bronze assembled over the years is a world-class private collection of its kind.‘Shouyang Studio’is the private hall name of Dr. and Mrs. George Fan, who are well-known Chinese American collectors, as well as generous benefactors to the Shanghai Museum. They fully recognize the role and importance of bronzes in the study of the culture and heritage of China. Hence they always reckon that collecting bronzes should be an academic process. Their insight is remarkable among oversea collectors. This exhibition displays seventy pieces/sets of bronze wares selected from the Shouyang Studio collection to illustrate milestones in the development of bronze art and technology in China. The selection includes quite a number of pieces with inscriptions that provide a wealth of information for academic study in addition to the aesthetic value. The bronze collection of the Shouyang Studio has never been featured in any exhibitions before. It is with pleasure that the Shanghai Museum mounts this exhibition in collaboration with Dr. and Mrs. George Fan. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity for bronze scholars from the Mainland to have a fuller picture of the quality, characteristics and other aspects of Chinese bronzes in overseas collections.