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Faces of history

Classical portraits preserve the details of history and the evolution of social trends. More than 130 pieces from the collection of the National Museum of China are on show in Portraiture From the Ming and Qing (1368-1911) Dynasties, an exhibition until March 30 at Shenzhen Museum in Guangdong province.

The paintings depict emperors and empresses, members of the aristocracy and high-ranking court officials along with banquets attended by intellectuals who would compose poems, paint and chant. They also offer a glimpse into the intimate aspects of women of well-connected families. A major transformation from Ming to Qing works is apparent as Qing artists attempted figurative techniques and the chiaroscuro of Western oil painting introduced by European missionaries.

10 am-6 pm, closed on Mondays.4001 Jintian Lu, Futian district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province.0755-8812-5550.