Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty
June 27–September 21, 2008
Lee, Hambrecht, Osher Galleries
For centuries, Ming porcelain vases have been regarded as the epitome of priceless beauty. The Asian Art Museum’s special exhibition, Power & Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty demonstrates why not just vases but Ming art of many types has earned such acclaim. On view from June 27–September 21, 2008, this major groundbreaking exhibition explores the grandeur and opulence of one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history.
Power & Glory also marks the Asian Art Museum’s first collaboration with three of China’s most prestigious institutions—The Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing, the Nanjing Municipal Museum, and the Shanghai Museum. Some of the most precious artworks from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) from these museums, along with some of the finest items from this period owned by the Asian Art Museum, make up Power & Glory, the first exhibition in the U. S. to focus on the full range of Ming court arts. Many of the more than 240 artworks—porcelain, paintings, textiles, lacquer, jade, jewelry, architectural elements, and more—will be on public view for the first time.
The exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of Ming achievement, through an unequaled collection of works from the Chinese dynasty most renowned for its refined aesthetic and standards of perfection. The exhibition will travel to the Indianapolis Museum of Art (October 26–January 11, 2009) and the St. Louis Art Museum (February 22–May 17, 2009).
Organized by the Asian Art Museum, the Palace Museum, the Nanjing Municipal Museum, and the Shanghai Museum. This exhibition was developed by a grant from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. The museum is grateful for additional support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Starr Foundation, the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, Sotheby’s MasterCard, and United Airlines.
Individual support was provided by Dr. Kathy N. Hull and William Gisvold, Julia Cheng, Doris Lee, Sally Hambrecht, and a bequest from the Harold L. Brown Charitable Trust.
Additional funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
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