Ancient bronze ware in restoration with int’l support

Shanghai (CNS) -- A bronze bathtub from the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC–476BC) patterned with two entwined dragons made its debut at the Shanghai Museum on Tuesday.

Its restoration is ongoing and expected to be completed this coming October, funded by Bank of America Merrill Lynch's global Art Conservation Project.

Bronze bathtubs were popular in ancient China from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period (475BC–221BC), used for water and ice storage as well as bathing purposes.

Former Curator Ma Chengyuan obtained the precious artwork at a cultural relic market in Hong Kong.

Prior to being rediscovered, the bronze ware had been once improperly restored and suffered some damage, regrets Shanghai Museum researcher Zhang Guangming, who took over the restoration project in 1996.

Twelve complicated steps were needed to basically restore its original appearance, which Zhang described as the biggest ever challenge ever taken on in Shanghai Museum's history.