IMPERIAL CHINA
Splendours of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)
2 October 2014 - 4 January 2015
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With the exceptional participation of the Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet and the Musées des Arts décoratifs, Paris
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of its museum, the Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art offers a stroll through the history and art of China during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), by way of the famous collections of the Guimet, Quai Branly, Decorative Arts and Army museums in Paris, the Château de Fontainebleau, the National Library of France, the Library of Geneva, and the Victoria and Albert Museum of London. The last Chinese dynasty was a period of remarkable artistic vitality, thanks to the support of its rulers, who were themselves erudite scholars and collectors. Open to outside influence, the emperors were as keenly interested by Western sciences and “exotic objects” as by art. Through manuscripts, precious books, engravings, clothing, and exceptional imperial scrolls, visitors to this exhibition will discover works related to the establishment of the Qing Empire, the exercise of power and its ceremonies, the conquest of the Western regions, as well as the role played by Jesuit missionaries in the sciences and decorative arts. Lastly, a glimpse will be offered of the emperors’ private life through art objects made for their personal appreciation, such as antique bronzes, cloisonnés, porcelains, jades, as well as lacquer and glass ware.
