Description
The Ming dynasty represents a period of native rule between the fall of the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) & the rise of the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The early Ming era was a period of cultural restoration & expansion. Seeking to reassert native artistic traditions, court artists revived & adapted the figural & landscape themes & styles of the Song dynasty (960-1279) to suit the new decorative & didactic needs of the Ming emperors. The period was also among the most glorious in Chinese ceramics history. But the second half of the dynasty was weakened by capricious & incompetent rulers. Many government officials chose to retire early to take up poetry, calligraphy, or painting, often working in garden settings similar to the Metropolitan's Astor Court, which is modeled on a Ming scholar's garden courtyard in the cosmopolitan city of Suzhou. The first Ming emperor (r. 1368-98), reinstituted native rule but became increasingly mistrustful of the scholarly class. Scholar-artists who lived through this period continued Yuan pictorial traditions, creating paintings that celebrated a life in reclusion or themes of endurance, most notably the "three friends of winter"pine, bamboo, & plum. It was not until the Xuande emperor (r. 1426-35) came to the throne that a systematic structure of recruitment, examination, & promotion for court artists was put in place, attracting talented artists from across the empire for many decades. Working in brilliant mineral colors on silk, these artists revived the representational styles of the Song Imperial Painting Academy. An astonishing example on view from this period is Elegant Gathering in the Apricot Garden (ca. 1437) attributed to the preeminent court artist Xie Huan; depicting the most powerful men in Chinese government, it demonstrates how the Chinese elite preferred to be shown engaged in refined cultural pursuits rather than with the obvious trappings of political power. With the accession of the fifteen-year-old Jiajing emperor (r. 1522-66), however, the fortunes of the academy declined, & within a few years there were no distinguished painters in court service. The entire academic painting institution came to a virtual halt about 1530. This decorative plate is in excellent condition despite being nearly 500 years old. The ancient brushstrokes have faded some over time, but still read clear giving this masterpiece from another time its signature bona fides. Paired with a traditional, bi-fold, wood stand or standalone, there are numerous ways to display this genuine artifact that demonstrates the creative artistry of China long before the communists changed it. WHY WE LOVE IT...Ancient Chinese Artistry Since I first watched the cinematic genius of "The Last Emperor", I have been intrigued & inspired by the tragic, beauty that is China. A land of both great beauty & turmoil, the artisans of China long ago established their creations as world class. Marking a history as inspiring as it has been
