Art of China

This sumptuous presentation of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's wide-ranging collection of Chinese art features one hundred works in various media spanning antiquity to the present day-including Ming gold vessels, a 15th-century Buddhist temple ceiling, imperial court robes, and an 18th-century bookcase made in Canton for a Dutchman. With striking new photography and engaging and informative discussions of individual works of sculpture, painting, furniture, textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and architecture, this volume provides a fascinating look into the breadth and diversity of Chinese artistic experience and material culture. An introductory essay by Hiromi Kinoshita delves into the history of the Philadelphia Museum's Chinese collection-begun after the 1876 World's Fair and continuing today with acquisitions of contemporary works by Ai Weiwei and Zhang Huan-weaving together stories of intrepid and dedicated collectors, curators, and dealers. Both accessible to general readers and of interest to scholars, this book is a valuable resource for those captivated by the many manifestations of art from China.