A masterful exhibition

"Seeing oil paintings in print is very much different from seeing the original artwork," he tells China Daily. "Standing in front of the actual piece, you will find intricate changes between light and shade, the depiction of different textures, details and a lot more. … I would definitely recommend my students to this show."

Guo says that one of the artworks that impressed him the most was Boy Bitten by a Lizard by Caravaggio. According to him, Caravaggio's ingenious use of contrast, emphasis on details of gesture and facial expression and strong emotions and theatrical effects in his painting had an enduring influence on Western art. Caravaggio's style had even inspired many artists such as Rembrandt and Velazquez, whose work are also on display, he adds.

The Shanghai Museum has also created an immersive digital showcase featuring 20 treasured pieces from the National Gallery that could not be shown in Shanghai. These works include Sunflowers by Van Gogh, The Virgin of the Rocks by Da Vinci, and Waterlilies by Monet.

The museum is also planning to showcase a series of about 10 documentaries in its lecture hall during the exhibition period so that visitors can learn more about the stories behind these masterpieces.

Since its establishment in 1952, the Shanghai Museum has carried out in-depth cooperation with more than 182 institutions of arts and cultural relics at 105 cities in 28 countries and regions across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.