"Glass painting came from the West but took root in China. The fusion of Chinese and Western elements, appealing to both refined and popular tastes, is a testament to the mutual exchange and influence of Eastern and Western arts," Zhang added.

　　After a few days of productive exchanges, Cinquini left with a promise to document what she had learned about Tianjin's glass painting heritage and to return with more questions.

　　The two have stayed in touch. "Cinquini shares her research progress with me. She is meticulous in her scholarship, often verifying a single point repeatedly. I am delighted that her research will help more people around the world learn about Tianjin's glass painting and its continuous innovation," Zhang said.

　　In April 2026, Cinquini returned to Tianjin with more research topics. This time, she not only observed but also tried her hand at glass painting.

　　In Zhang's studio, he sketched a design of two birds on a branch with a Chinese brush and guided her through the coloring process. Cinquini immediately recognized the motif as the traditional "double longevity" pattern commonly seen in glass painting. Though she had studied glass paintings for years, it was her first time to actually paint one.

　　"From Italy to China, I have visited many places and seen many glass paintings from different periods, but this is my first time creating one myself, which makes this trip unforgettable," she said after finishing her debut piece.

　　During her latest China tour, Cinquini also visited various places including Yibin, Yinchuan, Guilin, Guangzhou, Macao and Hong Kong, tracing the footprints of Chinese glass painting across the country.

　　"This skill, introduced from the West, has taken root in China and become a medium reflecting life and recording the times," she observed.