Copper furnace art exhibition offers glimpse of past
Amid the fragrance of incense, a copper furnace art exhibition opened in downtown Huangpu District over the weekend, offering a glimpse into the old craft of Xuande copper furnace foundry dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The display features some 70 works of Chinese copper furnace master Chen Qiaosheng and his disciples. Chen was born into a copper furnace making family in Suzhou, neighboring Jiangsu Province. He restored the old techniques, and kept innovating to promote its inheritance and development.
A rare piece of copper furnace that replicates the square-shaped Ming-style furnace made by Chen with exquisite patterns is also on display, accompanied by guqin (a seven-stringed Chinese instrument) music and aroma of incense.
The traditional Chinese copper furnace making technique also involves incense ceremony culture and aesthetics.
"Restoring Xuande copper furnace not only involves the research of its materials, shapes and technique, but also represents the return of traditional Chinese aesthetics," said Chen.
Traditional Chinese incense ceremony culture is closely linked with furnace and copper furnace technique in Wuyue (today's Yangtze River Delta region) and represents the highest level in the nation since ancient times, said Wu Qing, a Chinese incense ceremony expert.
Info
Dates: 10am-9pm through April 2
Admission: 50 yuan
Venue: 3F, Huabao Tower, Yuyuan Garden Malls (豫园商城华宝楼3楼)
Address: 265 Fangbang Rd M., Huangpu District (方浜中路265号)