Shanghai Museum teams up with Met for groundbreaking bronze exhibition
Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900, a landmark exhibition co-organized by Shanghai Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, opened Nov 11 at Shanghai Museum East.
The exhibition brings together 178 objects drawn from the Shanghai Museum's own exceptional collection of bronzes from the Song (960-1279) to Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, alongside key loans from major museums across Asia, Europe, and the United States. With 41 works appearing in public for the first time, the show stands as one of the most ambitious of its kind presented globally in recent years.
Notable pieces include a Northern Song Great Sheng Bell, used to standardize pitch in imperial ceremonies, from the Shanghai Museum; a Southern Song bronze vase inspired by the cong, an ancient jade form, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art; and a late 19th-century French vase featuring twin phoenixes, which draws on decorative motifs popular during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1736-96).
The exhibition is structured around four thematic sections that reinterpret the development and characteristics of Chinese bronzes from the Song through Qing periods. It traces their transformation from ritual vessels to scholarly accoutrements, demonstrating their enduring artistic vitality and role in cultural exchange. Immersive displays recreating historical settings allow visitors to envision these objects as they once appeared in daily and ceremonial life.
Following its acclaimed New York run earlier this year, which drew more than 300,000 visitors, the Shanghai exhibition will be on view through March 2026, accompanied by a series of academic lectures and public programs.
A selection of 28 new cultural products, including magnets, bookmarks, and postcards inspired by highlights from the exhibition, is available for purchase.
If you go
? When: Until March 16, 2026
? Where: Shanghai Museum East at No 1952 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area
? Admission: Free
Source: WeChat account of Shanghai Museum at "SH-Museum"