This short paper will air some of the challenges of communicating (to various audiences) aspects of China's long 19th century. It will introduce some ideas through past, present and planned future displays of 19th century material culture at the British Museum, London.
Paper long abstract:
A new display of China's history, art and archaeology at the British Museum (in Room 33) exhibits objects and paintings dating from prehistory to the present. Human engagement with objects takes many forms and hundreds of researched stories are also told of production, consumption and possession of things through time.
Cases devoted to the period 1800-the present are new to the permanent displays. Curators, conservators and designers worked within the restrictions of historic listed cases, the material available from the collections and loans, to highlight some aspects of China's long 19th century. This short paper looks at the material selected and the reasons behind those choices.
It introduces ideas from past displays and demonstrates how the work for permanent galleries is enlivened by longer research projects and how the displays can in turn act as a catalyst for future research and exhibitions.