Russian treasures set to dazzle China

A visitor looks at an Easter egg on display at Beijing's Palace Museum. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

It is a fantasy trip. A centuries-old imperial palace in China is temporarily decorated like a Russian palace.

Gold Easter eggs as well as precious articles belonging to the Romanovs are placed here.

Last week, Faberge Revealed, which displays 234 of the finest Russian objects from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, normally housed in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the United States, went on display at the Meridian Gate Gallery in Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City. The exhibition runs through July 17.

According to Alex Nyerges, director of VMFA, Peter Karl Faberge (1846-1920) is considered one of the world's most refined jewelers.

"The array of enameled picture frames, clocks, cigarette cases and cane handles ... still evoke the same fascination that they did when they were first displayed in the windows of Faberge's showrooms in St. Petersburg, Moscow and London," says Nyerges.