In an exchange of national art treasures, “The Portrait of Koxinga,” held by the National Taiwan Museum, is expected to go on display at mainland China’s Hubei Provincial Museum next May.
“Museum experts from Hubei expressed interest in cooperating with Taiwan’s museums during their visit last year, and were especially taken with the portrait,” NTM Director Hsiao Tsung-huang said Sept. 22.
Koxinga (meaning “Lord of the Imperial Surname”) is a title bestowed by the Ming dynasty emperor upon Zheng Cheng-gong (1624-1662), a commander who drove the Dutch East India Company out of Taiwan in 1661. “The Portrait of Koxinga,” said to have been commissioned by Zheng, was painted while he was still alive, and is believed to be the earliest picture of him.
The portrait, along with other Taiwan antiquities, was recognized Aug. 30 as a national treasure by the Council for Cultural Affairs in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act of 2005.
The NTM, meanwhile, will host an exhibition featuring ancient Chinese treasures including “The Sword of Goujian (the King of Yue),” along with over 100 antiquities from the Hubei museum’s collection from November 2010 to February 2011.
The bronze sword of Goujian, unearthed in 1965 and thought to have been manufactured around 510 B.C. during the Spring and Autumn Period, is the most venerated piece in the Hubei museum, sources said. (KL-THN)