Besides the 85 paintings, sculptures, engravings and architecture models, a sketch from the collection of Shanghai Museum is also being displayed for the first time at the exhibition. The sketch, which portrays the back of a nude male, first appeared on the Chinese market in the early 20th century and was believed to be an authentic creation by Ingres.

The sketch changed hands several times before Chinese author and socialite Shao Xunmei rediscovered it in 1946 at an antique shop in New York and brought it back to China.

"It is a fine example of the style of the Ingres school. That's why the curator decided to include the piece in the exhibition," says Yang Zhigang, director of Shanghai Museum. "But more studies have to be done before we can reach any conclusion."