All that glitters is not gold

About 400 pieces from Baccarat, one of France’s most prestigious crystal makers, are being exhibited at the Shanghai Hengfu Art Center－the brand’s first foray outside of France.

Running from Nov 6 to Feb 8, the exhibition is being held in a restored mansion that is home to the Hengfu Art Center, which was built in 1928.

All 400 original pieces were handmade by artisans over the centuries at the company’s workshop in the village of Baccarat in Lorraine, northeast France, which was set up in 1764.

“It is the first time in 255 years that we have exhibited outside France, and we are grateful to the French government to let us bring these pieces to China,” says CEO Daniela Riccardi.

Riccardi was also delighted that the exhibition was held in a former French concession building.

“Rather than just bringing pieces and exposing them to Chinese customers, we also tried to recreate the spirit of a private home that belongs to a Baccarat collector,” Riccardi says.

Designed like the home of an avid Shanghai art lover and collector, the stylish gallery space transports visitors back to the late 1920s, when the city was known as “Paris of the East” and was China’s thriving hub for the arts and entertainment.

Exhibits include Tsar Candelabrum, a 3.85-meter-tall stand composed of 3,320 pieces of crystal originally designed to hold 79 candles, which was presented at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris alongside two other works－The Boat and Table, a piece that weighs over 750 kilograms and comprises 101 pieces of crystal, and Vessel of the Desert, a work that evokes the Silk Road.

According to Riccardi, since around 40 percent of their clients in China are aged between 25 and 35, this is the demographic they aim to appeal to through the exhibition. Many younger Chinese clients have already visited the Baccarat museum in Paris, Riccardi adds.

“I hope our customers, and particularly the younger generation, will get to know the brand. Our clients are passionate and understand the value of the brand,” Riccardi says.

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