Dutch Princess Máxima Will Open the Exhibition 'SingSong, Treasures From the Forbidden City' in Utrecht

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, October 11, 2010 - Museum Speelklok presents the exhibition SingSong, Treasures from the
Forbidden City from 16 October 2010 up to and including 28 February 2011. The
exhibition is the crowning achievement of a three-year joint restoration
venture between the Palace Museum of the Forbidden City (Beijing, China) and
Museum Speelklok (Utrecht, The Netherlands). Her Royal Highness Princess
Máxima of the Netherlands will open the exhibition. Visitors will have a
once-only opportunity to admire the magnificent imperial clocks outside
China, in Utrecht. The exhibition SingSong is a mysterious experience cloaked
in the magical atmosphere of the Forbidden City.

During the 18th century, the most spectacular and costly clocks were
traded from the West to China. The clocks were much sought after by the
Chinese emperors and were also highly desirable gifts. Some enchanting clocks
played music every quarter of an hour, and the Chinese called this novelty
'the clock that plays by itself', or in Chinese: 'zimingzhong'. This term was
anglicised by the West into 'singsong', the equivalent of the musical clock.
Emperor Qianlong (1736-1796) amassed a vast collection of these fascinating
and imaginative clocks, which now form part of the collection of the Palace
Museum in the Forbidden City (Beijing). Museum Speelklok's knowledge and
experience of mechanical musical instruments is unique in the world, and has
led to a three-year joint restoration venture with the Palace Museum.
Together with its Chinese colleagues, Museum Speelklok has restored a number
of beautiful imperial clocks.

The exhibition SingSong displays a selection of clocks representing the
most important objects from the Qing dynasty, a period which formed a
milestone in the history of Chinese antique clocks. Leading European
clockmakers, such as the supreme master of the craft James Cox, produced many
of these magical and mysteriously frivolous showpieces. For the first time in
more than a century the imperial clocks will be playing again. The exhibition
also offers visitors a peep behind the scenes of the cooperation and cultural
exchanges between Beijing and Utrecht. More information about the exhibition
SingSong see www.museumspeelklok.nl .

W: www.museumspeelklok.nl

Note to the editor: for more information, interviews, visual material or to visit the museum, please contact Brechje Manschot, Head of PR and Communications, T: +31(0)30-232-60-91, E: bmanschot at museumspeelklok.nl