Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza, No. 2516 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
THREADS OF TIME: FROM THE COURT TO THE PRESENT - French Tapestry Treasures and Their Resonances in China | Shenzhen Bay Culture Square
This exhibition is co-organized by Shenzhen Bay Culture Square and Manufactures Nationales - Sèvres & Mobilier National. As an institution under the French Ministry of Culture, Mobilier National inherits the legacy of royal collections while establishing a distinctive tapestry art system. Throughout periods of social change, it has maintained close collaboration with artists of their respective times, serving as both a custodian of France's exquisite craftsmanship and a symbol of its cultural heritage. For centuries, this tapestry art system has served French courts and leading national institutions, embodying the pinnacle of France's achievements in craft and aesthetics.
This exhibition marks the first large-scale presentation in Asia of works from this prestigious collection. Bringing together more than forty exceptional tapestries, it traces the key transformations of French tapestry over the past century. From a courtly language of order and authority, tapestry underwent a profound shift in the 20th century, as changing artistic ideas and social contexts reshaped its role. Gradually, it moved beyond decoration andemerged as an independent art form.
Featured works include tapestries created byHenri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Le Corbusier, Fernand Léger, Joan Miró, Zao Wou-Ki, and Victor Vasarely, highlighting the ongoing dialogue and collaboration between artists and the national workshops. These works underscore the deep historical roots and contemporary continuity of tapestry craftsmanship while emphasizing its unique position in the history of visual art.
At the same time, the exhibition offers a perspective of “Resonances in China,” situating the traditions of French tapestry art within a cross-cultural dialogue between East and West. Within the context of China's long-standing weaving and design traditions, visitors are invited to reconsider the cultural resonance and renewed significance of this medium in the Chinese context.
Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza, in collaboration with France's National Furniture Museum (Manufactures Nationales - Sèvres & Mobilier National), presents "Century Clues: From Court to Contemporary - French Tapestry Treasures and Chinese Echoes," the Asian debut exhibition of France's national treasure tapestry masterpieces.
Using tapestries as its medium and time as its narrative thread, the exhibition weaves together artistic traditions from classical weaving techniques to modern masterpieces. It offers a comprehensive showcase of centuries-old artistic heritage, vividly recreating the achievements of European court art and textile craftsmanship.
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Over 40 French national treasure tapestry masterpieces
Making its debut in Asia
With a 400-year legacy of craftsmanship, these exquisite fabrics woven by royal French workshops once adorned palace halls. Now making their first transoceanic journey to China, these national treasures offer audiences an up-close encounter with priceless cultural artifacts.
Charles Le Brun, The King's Visit to the Gobelins Manufactory, 1729, wool, silk and gold thread, 3.75 x 5.80m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Merlin Projects
Charles Le Brun, The King's Visit to the Gobelins Manufactory, 1729, wool, silk and gold thread, 3.75 x 5.80m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Merlin Projects
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Dozens of world-renowned master artists
Exquisite tapestry collection
Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Le Corbusier, Joan Miró, Zao Wou-Ki...
World-renowned master artists collaborate with France's National Furniture Museum to blend diverse modern art movements and distinctive styles with exquisite weaving craftsmanship, infusing traditional textile art with fresh artistic expression to create works that embody the spirit of our times.
Henri Matisse, Polynesia (Diptych) - The Sky, 1972, wool, 2.0 x 3.13m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Henri Matisse, Polynesia (diptych) - The Sky, 1972, Wool, 2.0 x 3.13m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Pablo Picasso, "Woman at Her Toilette", late 20th century, wool, 0.58 x 0.6m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Françoise Baussan
Pablo Picasso, Women at Their Toilette, 20th century, 4th quarter, Wool, 0.58 x 0.6m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Françoise Baussan
Le Corbusier, "Woman with Horseshoer", 1988, wool, 2.179 x 3.645m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Le Corbusier, The Woman and the Blacksmith, 1988, Wool, 2.179 x 3.645m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Joan Miró, "The Flight of Love," 1979, wool, 1.960 x 2.440 m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Joan Miró, Hirondelle d'amour, 1979, Wool, 1.960 x 2.440m
© Mobilier National / Photo: © Isabelle Bideau
Zao Wou-Ki, "Composition 1982", 2008, wool, 2.51 x 1.81m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Zao Wou-Ki, Composition 1982, 2008, Wool, 2.51 x 1.81m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
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Seven sections
Exploring the century-long evolution of tapestry art
The exhibition systematically presents the evolution of tapestry art through seven thematic sections. Tracing a continuous thread through time, it showcases the journey from 17th-century French court weaving traditions to avant-garde creations by 20th-century masters, culminating in contemporary international collaborations and innovations. This comprehensive display reveals how tapestries transformed from royal treasures into modern artistic expressions.
Jean Lurçat, "The Four Seasons - Summer," 1941, wool, 3.35 x 4.85m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Philippe Sébert
Jean Lurçat, "The Four Seasons: Summer," 1941, wool, 3.35 x 4.85m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Philippe Sébert
Victor Vasarely, Cheyt-Pall, 1977, wool, 2.58 x 2.58m
© Mobilier National, France / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
Victor Vasarely, Cheyt Pyr, 1977, wool, 2.58 x 2.58 m
© Mobilier National / Photo: ©Isabelle Bideau
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Special exhibition area: Echoes of China
An Eastern perspective on French textile classics
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Croisements Festival, this exhibition features a dedicated China Perspective section showcasing masterpieces by leading artists like Wu Guanzhong, Liu Ye, Ding Yi, and Zhang Yonghe. Witness how Eastern aesthetics weave through the warp and weft of tapestry craftsmanship, creating a timeless artistic dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures.
Wu Guanzhong, Twin Swallows, Art Tapestry, Xizang Highland Wool & Chinese Mulberry Silk, 2.50 x 1.35m
Wu Guanzhong, Two Swallows, Art Tapestry, 85% Tibetan Highland Wool & 15% Chinese Silk, 2.50 x 1.35m
Liu Ye, Pinocchio, Art Tapestry, Tibetan Highland Wool and Silk, 2.6 × 3.5m
Liu Ye, Pinocchio, Art Tapestry, Tibetan Highland Wool & Silk, 2.6 x 3.5m
Ding Yi, Ten Signs, Art Tapestry, Silk, 1.2 x 2.4m
Ding Yi, Appearance of Crosses, Art Tapestry, silk, 1.2 x 2.4m
Zhang Yonghe, Sixteen Grids, Art Tapestry, Xizang Highland Wool & New Zealand Wool, 2.4 x 2.4m
Yungho Chang, 16-Grid Layout, Art Tapestry, Tibetan Highland Wool & New Zealand Wool, 2.4 x 2.4m
About the National Furniture Museum and National Workshops of France
© Manufactures nationales - Sèvres & Mobilier national © LACEN
Since the 17th century, France's National Furniture Museum (Mobilier National) has been dedicated to preserving and passing on craftsmanship and artistic creation, with a mission to maintain, restore, and perpetuate France's exceptional artisanal skills. Its collection includes tens of thousands of furniture pieces and decorative art objects, which adorn official residences in France and overseas territories, playing a significant role in cultural exchange and diplomacy. On January 1, 2025, the National Furniture Museum (Mobilier National) merged with Cité de la Céramique–Sèvres & Limoges to form Manufactures Nationales (National Workshops of France).
May 1–Aug 16, 2026 (UTC+8)