Sharing the Silk Road's treasures

Artists with a passion for history make perfect copies of ancient murals, so everyone can enjoy their beauty.

The Silk Road Danqing — Exhibition of Murals along the Ancient Silk Road opened at the China Cultural Center in Paris, France on Sept 18.

Initiated by the Chinese National Academy of Arts and co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in Paris, the exhibition showcased reproductions of 23 murals from key sites along the Silk Road, from regions including Qiuci, Gaochang, Yanqi, and Yutian in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, as well as Dunhuang in Gansu province, that span 1,000 years, from the third to 13th centuries.

More than 160 Chinese and French guests attended the opening ceremony and viewed the exhibition. Curator Zhang Jian explained that, due to transport and gallery limitations, larger works could not be included.

The exhibition, which ran until Sept 24, offered French audiences a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the ancient Silk Road.

Zhou Qingfu, director of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, said: "The rich variety of character designs and the flexibility of styles and forms not only directly reflect the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional murals but also highlight the unique features that emerged from the exchange and fusion of Eastern and Western cultures."

Liu Hongge, director of the China Cultural Center in Paris, said the Silk Road murals are a mark of mutual learning and integration between Chinese and Western civilizations.

"These works, crafted with great finesse and unmatched artistic richness, tell stories thousands of years old while serving as a living connection between the past and present," said Didier Bernheim, a member of the Academy of Fine Arts of the Institute of France.

And Bernheim praised the restoration techniques used by the Chinese National Academy of Arts, describing them as cutting-edge.

"France and China share a deep attachment to their cultural heritage, and I hope that our two countries can continue to collaborate in the protection and promotion of the arts," he said.

Thierry Prouvost, founder and president of the Association of Lineages of France, added: "These works are not merely art on walls. They are witnesses of time, reflecting eras, civilizations, and beliefs."

Colette Illouz, a former marketing director at an insurance company, said she was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the work.

"When I listened to our guide, I learned that these murals predate even Marco Polo," she said.

Michel Combredet, who accompanied Illouz, was impressed by the finesse of the lines of the paintings.

"I even believed, at one point that the reproductions were made of paper, and I was told that it was really mineral. It struck me. I hadn't imagined it," he said.