Reproduced from Eastern Art Report Issue 64 | Subscribe to the Print Edition
Following the great success of Cina. Nascita di un impero (China. Birth of an Empire), held at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome from September 2006 to February 2007, a new exhibition of ancient Chinese art, China: at the court of the Emperors. Unknown masterpieces from Han tradition to Tang elegance, has recently been inaugurated in the stunning premises of Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, epitome of Italian Renaissance architecture. To 8 June 2008, more than two hundred treasures borrowed from thirty two museums and dating from the Eastern Han (25-220) to the Tang dynasty (618-907) are on view. These rare treasures tell the fascinating story of how, during those nine centuries, Chinese civilization was completely transformed.
The exhibition was originally conceived as a celebration of the cosmopolitan culture of the Tang dynasty, generally considered the 'golden age' of Chinese history, during which the Middle Kingdom was attracted to anything foreign and nourished this fascination by importing an infinite variety of goods from all over the world by way of the Silk Road and through the maritime routes. Together with exotic goods came people of different origin, race and religion, with their traditions, customs and beliefs, which were assimilated into Chinese culture and eventually became an integral part of it. The synthesis of foreign and indigenous elements resulted in the creation of a harmonious and powerful artistic language, which we recognise as 'unmistakably' Tang. However, this process of assimilation had begun centuries earlier with the fall of the Eastern Han empire, the failure of the Confucian doctrine, the adoption of Daoist theories, the invasion of foreign armies and the introduction of a new religion, Buddhism. This prompted the inclusion of specimens dating from the third century.
The period between the fall of the Eastern Han and the reunification of China by the Sui dynasty (581-618) is traditionally considered a period of turmoil, during which China was politically and culturally divided between north and south, where the south, governed by Han Chinese dynasties, preserved traditional Chinese civilization, while the north, dominated by foreign regimes, was a sort of cultural desert. However, recent archaeological finds and a new research approach are showing that in fact this period in Chinese history was a time of regeneration and flourishing of the arts. The south China was not simply the heir to classical Han orthodoxy, it was in fact very sensitive to new concepts and theories and developed a refined taste for flawless elegance. In the north, wars of conquest by foreign armies brought not only devastation, but also new ideas and customs which slowly merged with Chinese ones and stimulated creativity.
Another traditionally held view is that during the time of division, north and south were two completely distinct political and cultural entities which communicated only by means of armed conflicts. However, archaeological research has been proving this notion wrong: the political frontier may have been heavily arm-guarded, but ideas travelled frequently and in both ways. Moreover, vigorous trade by land and sea with foreign countries transformed China into a crossroads of different cultures which, integrated with the local ones, determined the great renaissance of the seventh-eighth century.
The very concept of Chinese tradition, as intangible as ductile, was invented during the Han dynasty and since then jealously handed down to the present time. For this reason and to offer the visitor a term of comparison against which to confront the new Tang style, it was decided that the exhibition should also include specimens from the Eastern Han dynasty.
The dialectical relationship between indigenous and foreign elements, which culminated in the Tang synthesis, is highlighted by the exhibition route, which often favours a thematic arrangement over a chronological one.
The visitor is welcomed by a majestic stone sculpture (240 cm high) representing a seated Buddha Maitreya from the Leigutai cave at Longmen, displayed under the portico of the palace courtyard; a steep staircase leads to the piano nobile (the main floor of this Renaissance building), where the specimens are set out in eight rooms. The first one is dedicated to the Eastern Han and their legacy: the visitor first encounters a vigorous stone sculpture of a fantastic animal originally placed along the so-called 'Spirit way.' This is followed by a spectacular procession of bronze chariots and horses from the guard of honour buried in General Zhang’s tomb at Wuwei (Gansu) (Figure 1), while the earthenware models of houses and towers provide good examples of architectural styles (Figure 1) and the importance attached to property by the wealthy families of the Eastern Han. A series of pictorial bricks, dating from the first century BCE to the sixth century CE, shows the continuation of the Eastern Han figurative style and reveals the new 'painting' trend deeply influenced by the aesthetic theories advanced by men of letters since the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty (figure 2). Moreover, the lively scenes they depict offer a glimpse into daily life and religious beliefs during the period of political division.
The next three halls present the development of Buddhist sculpture from the end of the fifth to ninth century, starting with a magnificent pagoda-shaped stele (figure 3) telling stories from the life of the Buddha, from the sutras and also images of filial piety in the sculptural style typical of the Northern Wei period (386-534). At the other end of the spectrum, it is possible to enjoy the triumphant naturalism of Tang plastic forms (Figure 4). Special attention is devoted to Esoteric Buddhism, one of the many schools developed during the Tang dynasty, with a series of sculptures from the Da Anguo monastery, a votive stupa exhibited for the first time and a gilt bronze Ekadasamukha, or eleven-headed form.
Religious tolerance is witnessed by a Daoist stela dated 583, showing that although Buddhism was widely spread in China, it did not undermine the Daoist community, and by a door lunette introducing to a Sogdian tomb dated 579, beautifully decorated with a Zoroastrian ritual scene (Figure 5).
Terracotta tomb protectors in the shape of mythological creatures or heavenly guardians borrowed from the Buddhist pantheon are displayed together with high rank officials in room five, also graced by the presence of a mural painting depicting a very elegant door guard.
The next theme concentrates on the presence of foreigners and the taste for exotic styles typical of the Tang dynasty, but indeed developed much earlier. Pottery figures representing nomads from the steppe and traders who reached China on their camels loaded with exotic goods (Figure 6) illustrate the complex relationship between China and foreigners through the centuries. Among vessels, a lidded jar decorated with very unusual motifs painted under the glaze shows that already in the third century southern China was attracted by exotic patterns and techniques (Figure 7), while a Tang sancai pilgrim flask decorated with a lively scene of a lion and its tamer testifies to the strong ties between China and Central Asia.
The seventh gallery hosts women and luxury goods: terracotta sculptures dating from the 3rd to the 8th century show figures with different physiognomic features and how the rendering of the human figure changed in time. Feminine beauty is also celebrated by a mural painting depicting a woman playing with a goose and for stone panels from a sarcophagus embellished with portraits of plump ladies in a garden set (Figure 8). The splendour of the court is represented by precious imported glass and metalwork made in China, but strongly influenced by Persian taste both in the shapes and the decorations (Figure 9).
The exhibition ends with figures of Central Asian horses just like it started, thus manifesting the Chinese passion for superior steeds, inaugurated in the 2nc century BCE, and also foreign relations. If camels were the symbol of the Silk Road, fine horses evoke the power of the empire and the privileges of the aristocracy. This is clearly illustrated by vivacious pottery horses dating from the 4th to the 8th century and by the astonishing mural painting Horse and grooms, not randomly chosen as the exhibition image (Figure 10, above).
The visitor leaves Palazzo Strozzi with a new appreciation of Chinese art, having witnessed the birth of a new style, a new classicism and a new civilization. From the formal style of the Eastern Han fantastic animal that welcomes the public in the first room, the visitor has been taken through a journey showing how the assimilation of foreign influences, religions and styles did not erode the essence of traditional Chinese culture, on the contrary it contributed to renovate and reinforce Chinese civilization taking it to new heights.
The exhibition is curated by Sabrina Rastelli, in collaboration with an international team of experts, including Roderick Whitfield, Maurizio Scarpari, Felix Schoeber and Iman Lai. The display arrangement is signed by the world famous fashion designer, Romeo Gigli who has chosen to harmonize the powerful identity of Palazzo Strozzi and all its features with the Chinese works of art on show, rather than obliterate the Italian architectural masterpiece and display the objects in an anonymous ambiance. Inspired by his extensive travels in China in the 1980s’, Gigli has visualized large, amorphously-shaped, ochre-coloured sand dunes with flat tops which isolate and underline the beauty of the art pieces; the large windows have been darkened, but not obscured, thus allowing to perceive the city outside without been disturbed by it. The final, magical touch is consigned to the lights which embrace each piece exalting it.
The absence of glass cases allows an unprecedented, powerful experience with the objects, while their security is guaranteed by the distance imposed by the slopes of the sand dunes.
In this way, one of the most important 15th century buildings in Florence is successfully turned into a museum space that fully respects the majestic and prominent features of the premises.
Exhibition Report
