Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty

Segment of an arch gate, approx. 1412-1431. Reigns of the Yongle (1403-1424) and Xuande (1426-1435) emperors. Earthenware with low-fired polychrome glazes. From the site Temple with Great Gratitude Dabao’en si, outside Central Chinese Gate, Nanjing. The Nanjing Municipal Museum.

Belt ornaments of fourteen dragon plaques, buried 1371. From the 1371 tomb of Wang Xingzu, outside of the Central gate, Nanjing. Reign of the Hongwu emperor (1368-1398). Whitish nephrite with relief on gold mounts. The Nanjing Municipal Museum.

Court ladies in the inner palace, by Du Jin (active middle 15th century). Handscroll, ink and colors on silk. The Shanghai Museum.

Yellow silk fabric with dragons, material for a court robe, reign of the Wanli emperor (1573-1620). Satin with embroidery. The Palace Museum, Beijing.

Incense burner in the shape of an ancient bronze vessel, approx. 1500-1648. Copper alloy with gold gilt. The Palace Museum, Beijing.

Cup in the shape of a lotus leaf pulled by a swimming fisherman, buried 1627. From the tomb of Mu Rui, outside of Zhonghua gate in Mt.Jiangjun, Nanjing. Reign of the Tianqi emperor (1621-1627). Amber. The Nanjing Municipal Museum.

Ornament in the shape of a peony blossom, buried 1625. From the tomb of Mu Cangzuo, at Mt. Jiangjun, Nanjing. Reign of the Tianqi emperor (1621-1627). Gold with filigree designs. The Nanjing Municipal Museum.

Portrait of Prince Zhu Youyuan in the ceremonial uniform (detail), probably 1521. Anon. Ming artist. Hanging scroll, colors on silk. The Palace Museum, Beijing.

Rats after melons and fruits, by Zhu Zhanji (the Xuande emperor, 1399-143, reigned 1426-35). Handscroll, ink and colors on paper. The Palace Museum, Beijing.

Thangka, reign of the Yongle emperor (1368-1644). Silk with embroidered designs. Private collection.

Two dragons presenting a heart-shaped amber, buried between 1647 and 1658. From the tomb of Lady Chen, wife of Tong Bonian, in Dengfushan outside of the Zhonghua gate, Nanjing. Amber and ruby; gold with repoussé and filigree designs.

Vase with a dragon, reign of the Hongwu emperor (1364-1398). China, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province. Porcelain with underglaze copper decoration. The Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum, B60P1235. Photograph by Kaz Tsuruta.

The Xuande emperor’s amusements in the palace, anon. Ming artist, approx. middle 15th CE. Handscroll, ink and colors on silk. The Palace Museum, Beijing.