Chinese bronzes from the 12th–19th century are an important but often overlooked category. In ancient China, bronze vessels were emblems of ritual and power. A millennium later (1100–1900), such vessels were rediscovered as embodiments of a long-lost golden age, part of a widespread phenomenon across all the arts to reclaim the virtues of a classical tradition including the revival of bronze casting. From important bronzes to a complementary selection of other works, the exhibition aims to redress misunderstandings of later Chinese bronzes via pieces from The Met collection as well as loans from major international institutions to present the most comprehensive narrative of the ongoing importance of bronzes as an art medium throughout China’s history.
The Met — “Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100–1900″
