18 Tuesday, September 11, 2018 LIFE DAILY EDITION PRINCIPAL CHARMS A new show in is tracing the 700­year history of Monaco’s House of Grimaldi, by exploring the art and artifacts of an old Europe dynasty, Wang Kaihao reports.

hen 271 arti­ a modern touch to the facts from the ancient architecture of the principality of . Monaco come “The Chinese public’s to W Beijing for the first time, impression of Monaco used perhaps there is no other place to be some scattered ‘dots’ more suitable to display them about Grace Kelly or the eye­ than the Meridian Gate Gal­ catching royal wedding in lery. 2011,” says Wang Yuegong, The gallery, which sits head of the royal artifact above the entrance of the Pal­ department at the Palace ace — China’s impe­ Museum. “This exhibition rial palace from 1420 to 1911, will connect all the dots with which is also known as the a single line.” — is welcom­ Monaco signed a coopera­ ing a collection from the tion agreement with the Pal­ House of Grimaldi and is ace Museum in 2016. launching a “royal” dialogue As the first step in this col­ through its exhibition, Prin­ laborative process, The For­ ces and Princesses of Monaco: bidden City in Monaco, an A European Dynasty (13th to exhibition which included 21st century). about 180 artifacts from the The exhibition opened on Palace Museum, took place Sept 7 and is dedicated to last year at the Grimaldi tracing the achievements of Forum, a convention center the principality over the past in Monte Carlo. 700­odd years. Running It gave a panoramic pic­ through Nov 11, it’s open ture of imperial life during every day except Mondays. the reigns of Kangxi, Monaco is minuscule in Yongzheng and Qianlong, size. Its 2­square­kilometer­ three emperors ruling at the area is only roughly twice the peak of the Qing Dynasty size of the Forbidden City, but (1644­1911). it is also famed for its royal “The event stirred huge aura. public interest in Monaco,” From everyday articles, says Wang, who designed the rare works of art, to a royal exhibition. “It also prompted canopy and even a throne — our Monegasque counter­ which was made in 1881 — parts to return the favor by the range of exhibits are as bringing a show to Beijing.” broad as they are diverse. According to Wang, more “We want to portray the than 50,000 people visited overall image of the Grimal­ the exhibition at the Grimal­ dis through these diverse di Forum. artifacts,” says Thomas Fouil­ “And when I recently leron, curator of the exhibi­ returned to Monaco on vaca­ tion. “However, we also care tion and noticed that some of about the individual charac­ the in museum ters of the monarchs.” were missing,” Wang contin­ After taking over the for­ ues, “a staff member told me tress of Monaco in the late that they had been shipped 13th century, the Grimaldis abroad for an exhibition.” established their territory in “Well, I suppose I’m the the mid­14th century before one who should be blamed eventually declaring itself a Clockwise from top: A royal throne made in 1881 for Prince Charles III is a highlight during the ongoing exhibition from Monaco in the Palace Museum; white marble bust by for this because I introduced monarchy in 1612. Lazare Ratto in 1660; visitors admire works by European artists; and the Psalter of vellum are some highlighted exhibits from the Library of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. those exhibits to Beijing,” he “Monaco may be small, but PHOTOS BY JIANG DONG / AND PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY smiles. it’s a European monarchy For this reason, neither with a complete set of royal side should really feel the rituals,” Fouilleron says. vide some of the show’s One of the books on dis­ tic tastes by displaying the late Hollywood movie need to apologize for build­ “People can grasp the bigger artistic highlights. play, which was published in examples from their numer­ star and former princess of ing up cultural links. picture about European The same situation is 1665 and comes from the ous collections of paintings. Monaco, has been given the “The Palace Museum dynasties by looking at true about Monaco’s Library of the Prince’s Palace Monaco has been generous privilege of having an entire embraces different civiliza­ us.” architecture. The in Monaco, plots the jour­ enough to loan many works section dedicated to her at tions from all over the A tapestry from the French influence is neys made by the Dutch East by iconic artists such as the exhibition. world,” Wang says. “Such cul­ 17th century woven apparent in a paint­ India company in China. Titian, Monet, and Renoir, From her wedding gown, tural communications are an with the coat of arms of ing from 1732 which During the 19th century, and the paintings were care­ to her jewelry, costumes and important way to make peo­ the House of Gramildi shows a bird’s­eye the focus of Monaco fully selected for their con­ even to her Oscar for win­ ple feel more connected.” is among the key view of the prince’s switched from agriculture to nection to the principality. ning best actress at the Acad­ And the Monegasque side exhibits showing palace of Monaco. tourism as Monte Carlo For instance, visitors may emy Awards in 1954, Kelly’s have confirmed they current­ the early history of “French culture was developed as an entertain­ feel that Monet enjoyed his legendary lifetime of ele­ ly have no plans to take the the monarchy and its highly advocated at that ment destination. An old trip to the country from his gance both on and off screen, exhibition to other Chinese alliance with . time,” the curator says. map in the exhibition shows dreamlike touches in the is recounted to visitors , because “its dynas­ Portraits of the princes “The prince would have been the boundaries of Monaco at 1884 canvasses Monte Carlo through a variety of exhibits. tic glory is best suited to the of Monaco like Honore II pleased if someone had told that time. Seen from Roquebrune and The costume worn by Forbidden City”. (1571­1662), Antonie I (1661­ him: ‘Your palace looks just Fouilleron says one of the The Bay of Monaco. Albert II, the current ruler of 1731), Charles III (1818­1889) A piece of jewellery belonging like Versailles.’” most important elements of Of course, one name is Monaco, on his wedding in Contact the writer at are not just important histor­ to Grace Kelly, the late princess Some exhibits also show this exhibition was to dem­ unavoidable when talking 2011 and the tiara he gave to wangkaihao@ ical references but also pro­ of Monaco, is on show in Beijing. the princes’ interest in China. onstrate the Grimaldis’ artis­ about Monaco. Grace Kelly, Princess Charlene, also lend chinadaily.com.cn Palace Museum unveils calendar for 2019

By WANG KAIHAO country’s total “registered at royal boxes which were , a former from 1937, but was updated to [email protected] national­level key cultural rel­ picked as “box” (he) in Chi­ director of the Palace Muse­ keep up with modern develop­ ics” are held by the institu­ nese sounds like the word for um. ments. There are still a few months tion. “harmony”, which is the foun­ Speaking about how he Since 2011, the Chinese zodi­ to go before 2019, but the Pal­ “The 365 representative dation of a happy family. took up the idea, he recalls a ac has been used as the key ace Museum in Beijing, also artifacts (in the calendar) rep­ The December page covers visit to a museum in theme in each year’s calendar. known as the Forbidden City, resent each day of the year,” paintings of a royal banquet , the capital of And color printing was intro­ has already begun its cam­ says Chen Lihua, the editor­ to indicate wishes for pros­ Guangdong province, more duced in 2012. paign to welcome the Year of in­chief of the calendar. “But perous life. than 10 years ago. As for the dates in the calen­ Pig by releasing a new calen­ choosing them was not easy.” “For many, the calendar is “There the museum staff dar, they are written using Chi­ dar on Monday. The editors had to pick the an introduction to the world told me that they had copies nese taken from This will the 10th year in a artifacts from a large invento­ of fine art,” says Chen. of our calendars from the rubbings from stone inscrip­ row that the Forbidden City ry and hand in the pictures of “It showcases the culture 1930s,” says Zheng. tions, according to Chen. The Palace Museum is releasing a new calendar to welcome the Publishing House, which is 700­odd artifacts for a final and ,” she “I was surprised to learn One benefit of producing the Year of the Pig and promote its collections. JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY affiliated to the museum, has round of selection. says. “And it also promotes that. And they asked whether calendar is that it is helping the released a calendar, one of its Appearance was a key the outstanding techniques we had copies in our collec­ museum categorize its trea­ most sought­after souvenirs. requirement and the items and wisdom of ancient crafts­ tion.” sures. or tiger, common totems of And more than 700,000 cop­ Each page of the calendar being chosen also had to men.” Zheng then got staff to The January part of 2019 cal­ power in an imperial palace. ies of the 2019’s edition have promotes one collection from match certain themes. The Palace Museum used check the files and found some endar focuses on artifacts relat­ Nevertheless, they found been printed so far. Each copy the museum, China’s former “The artifacts also needed released calendars in the of the calendars. So, he decid­ ed to pigs. more than 100 artifacts. sells for 76 yuan ($11). imperial palace, with pictures to showcase auspicious signs,” 1930s, but this tradition was ed to revive the calendar tradi­ When work began on the cal­ Shan Jixiang, the director of Other versions of the calen­ and text. says Chen. halted when war broke out in tion in 2010 as a way to endar the authorities won­ the Palace Museum, says that dar that have been released The Palace Museum is Each month of the calendar 1937. promote the museum. dered if they had enough about 680,000 copies of the this year include an English­ home to 1.86 million cultural focuses on one type of artifact. The credit for reviving the The 2010’s calendar fol­ artifacts bearing the motif as it Palace Museum Calendar 2018 Chinese one and another relics, and 42 percent of the For example, August looks calendar tradition goes to lowed the format of the one is not as common as the dragon were sold last year. about royal food.