Mirroring China's past : emperors, scholars, and their bronzes / Tao Wang ; with essays by Sarah Allan, Jeffrey Moser, Su Rongyu, Edward L. Shaughnessy, Zhixin Jason Sun, Zhou Ya, Liu Yu, and Lu Zhang.
Edition:
First edition.
Publisher:
The Art Institute of Chicago,
Copyright Date:
2018
Description:
264 pages : illustrations (some color), color maps ; 32 cm
Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name held at the Art Institute of Chicago, February 25-May 13, 2018. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Note to the reader -- Chronology of ancient China -- Emperors of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties -- Matter of things : how to read ancient Chinese bronzes / Tao Wang -- Bronze-casting technology in the late Shang Dynasty / Su Rongyu -- Interpreting the decoration of early Chinese bronze vessels / Sarah Allan -- Lost archaeology : from antiquity to plaything / Tao Wang -- Chen Mengjia and the reading of bronze inscriptions as historical sources / Edward L. Shaughnessy -- Figuring things : early scholarship on Chinese bronzes / Jeffrey Moser -- Mirroring the past : Emperor Qianlong and his bronzes / Tao Wang -- Emperor Qianlong's four catalogues on bronzes / Liu Yu -- One or two? : self-representation in Emperor Qianlong's portraiture / Lu Zhang -- The Hezi You vessels : a case study in authenticity and forgery / Zhou Ya -- Rivals and friends : scholar-collectors and their circles / Tao Wang -- A legend retold : the Duanfang bronzes' journey to the Metropolitan Museum of Art / Zhixin Jason Sun -- The past in the present : an epilogue / Tao Wang -- Checklist -- Selected bibliography -- Index.
Summary:
"A lavishly illustrated book that offers an in-depth look at the cultural practices surrounding the tradition of collecting ancient bronzes in China during the 18th and 19th centuries<BR /><BR /> In ancient China (2000-221 b.c.) elaborate bronze vessels were used for rituals involving cooking, drinking, and serving food. This fascinating book not only examines the cultural practices surrounding these objects in their original context, but it also provides the first in-depth study tracing the tradition of collecting these bronzes in China. Essays by international experts delve into the concerns of the specialized culture that developed around the vessels and the significant influence this culture, with its emphasis on the concept of antiquity, had on broader Chinese society. While focusing especially on bronze collections of the 18th and 19th centuries, this wide-ranging catalogue also touches on the ways in which contemporary artists continue to respond to the complex legacy of these objects. Packed with stunning photographs of exquisitely crafted vessels, Mirroring China's Past is an enlightening investigation into how the role of ancient bronzes has evolved throughout Chinese history"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.