The Saint Louis Art Museum announces the February 22 opening of Powerand Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty, the first exhibition of its kind to focus on the artfrom China's Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Featuring more than 125 magnificent works including porcelain, paintings, textiles, lacquerware,jade and precious metals, this groundbreaking exhibition explores the grandeur and opulence ofone of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. The objects include not only artifactsmade by imperial manufacturers but also paintings created by emperors and other high-rankingofficials. Many are on view for the first time outside of China.
Works in the exhibition are drawn from three of China's most prestigious institutions-the PalaceMuseum, Beijing; the Nanjing Municipal Museum; and the Shanghai Museum-along with objects from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
"Renowned for its refined aesthetic, Ming court art is both visually beautiful and profoundlysignificant," said Philip Hu, associate curator of Asian art. "For nearly three centuries, the strong imperial patronage of Ming emperors produced new heights in Chinese art."
Ming, which means "bright" in Chinese, is an appropriate name for a dynasty whose 276-yearreign was marked by stability, economic strength and art. As China's last native-ruled dynasty, itis revered as a pinnacle of cultural achievement.
Imperially supervised workshops and kilns followed strict standards for the creation of goods foruse at court. Under these rigorous guidelines, Ming porcelains and other materials such aslacquerware, metalwork and textiles became esteemed for their quality.
Admission to the exhibition is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, $6 for children 6 to 12,free for children younger than 6, free to Members every day and free to all on Fridays. Tickets are available at all MetroTix locations. Charge by phone at 314.534.1111 or online at metrotix.com.
Tickets are also available in person at theMuseum. Tickets purchased through MetroTix willincur a $2.75 service fee per ticket; the service fee is waived for tickets purchased at the Museum.
Admission includes an iPod multimedia tour for visitors 12 and older. A major credit card isrequired. The iPod tour is $3 on Fridays when the exhibition is free and free to members everyday.
Power and Glory: Court Arts from China's Ming Dynasty was organized and curated by He Li,associate curator of Chinese art, and Michael Knight, senior curator of Chinese art and deputydirector of strategic programs and partnerships at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.Curated at the Saint Louis Art Museum by Philip Hu, associate curator of Asian art, the exhibition will be on view in the Museum's Main Exhibition Galleries through May 17, 2009.
The exhibition was on view at Asian Art Museum of San Francisco June 27-September 21, 2008, and at the Indianapolis Museum of Art October 26, 2008-January 11, 2009.
The exhibition is organized by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Palace Museum, theNanjing Municipal Museum and the Shanghai Museum and developed by a grant from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. Additional support was rovided by the Henry Luce Foundation,the Starr Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition is supported byan indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. A Great Nation DeservesGreat Art.
The Saint Louis Art Museum's presentation of Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's MingDynasty is supported by Emerson. Support for Public Programs has been provided by TheBlakemore Foundation.
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the nation's leading comprehensive art museums with ollections that include works of art of exceptional quality from virtually every culture and time period. Areas of notable depth include Oceanic art, pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese bronzes and European and American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries, with particular strength in20th-century German art. The Museum offers a full range of exhibitions and educationalprogramming generated independently and in collaboration with local, national and internationalpartners.
Admission to the Saint Louis Art Museum is free to all every day. For more information about theSaint Louis Art Museum, call 314.721.0072 or visit www.slam.org.
Alternate routes are recommended to access the Saint Louis Art Museum and Forest Park due toconstruction on I-64. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.thenewi64.org andwww.slam.org. |
