Qing Dynasty Ceramics Damaged After Bowl Falls in British Museum Display

The British Museum said a bowl fell from its shelf and landed on a small box on the bottom shelf, damaging both pieces. The two Chinese ceramics are now with the museum’s conservation team and are being restored.

What the museum said

The museum confirmed the incident on Friday and said it occurred on October 4. It said the shelf and its mount showed no signs of failure, but added that it would continue investigating how the pieces were damaged.

“Both objects are already with our expert conservation team for complete restoration,” the museum said.

The damage has raised questions about how fragile cultural treasures are protected while on display. The incident has also sparked fresh debate over the safe exhibition of museum objects.

What the images show

Photos circulating on social media show ceramic shards inside a four-tier display cabinet. The cabinet features items from the Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art.

A bowl catalogued as B629 was originally positioned at the centre of the top shelf. It appears to have fallen to the bottom tier, where it smashed another piece, identified as item 634.

The incident involves 300-year-old Jingdezhen ceramics. Their damage while on display, followed by the decision to send both objects for restoration, has put museum display safety under global scrutiny.

The museum’s statement that the shelf and mount showed no signs of failure leaves the precise circumstances of the damage under investigation. Its conservation team is handling the restoration while the museum examines how the two pieces were damaged.

Source: South China Morning Post