BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition on the Silk Road and the Renaissance has opened at the National Museum of China in Beijing and will run until August 19.

It features over 200 cultural relics from 17 Chinese museums and 21 Italian museums, reflecting the influence of the ancient Silk Road.

These include compasses and charts used by Chinese and Italian sailors, porcelain and glassware, as well as Chinese terracotta figurines with Western characteristics.

There are also classical art works from both countries, such as "Saint Stephen" by Giotto di Bondone, an important Italian painter during the Proto-Renaissance period, and "Water and Bamboo Dwelling" by Ni Zan, a famous Chinese painter from the 14th century.

The exhibition, named "Embracing the Orient and the Occident: When the Silk Road Meets the Renaissance," opened on June 9.