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Past Exhibitions
Defining Yongle: Imperial Art in Early Fifteenth-Century China
April 1, 2005–July 10, 2005
Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for Chinese Decorative Arts
The Yongle emperor (r. 1403–1425) was the most powerful, effective, and extravagant ruler of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). His reign was punctuated by vigorous military campaigns and unprecedented maritime expeditions. A son of the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, he seized the throne from his nephew and moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Yongle’s strong faith in Tibetan Buddhism, and the means of production at his disposal, determined both the repertory and the style of the superb paintings, sculptures, lacquers, metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and ivories produced in the imperial workshops during his reign. This exhibition, featuring selections from the Metropolitan Museum’s permanent collection and important loans, defines a crucial moment in the development of imperial Chinese art and its relationship to later artistic traditions.
Accompanied by a publication. The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue are made possible by The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation.
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