e-bulletin

30 September 2000


Welcome to the Chinese-art.com Traditional Art e-bulletin, distributed monthly to scholars, professionals, and afficionados of Chinese art. Please e-mail suggestions, news, and announcements to editor@chinese-art.com.
Exhibitions August 2000 Magazine Conferences & Symposia

contents

NEWS FROM CHINESE-ART.COM

 
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS
NOTEWORTHY ESSAYS

EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUM NEWS

Readers may wish to view a calendar listing all June 2000 to May 2001 exhibitions reported in this and previous e-bulletins.

[ongoing]

[upcoming]

[museum news]

AUCTION & MARKET NEWS

Older auction results are posted in previous e-bulletins:
19 May 2000
23 June 2000
31 August 2000

[recent]

[upcoming]

CONFERENCES & SYMPOSIA

Readers may wish to view a calendar listing all May 2000 to April 2001 conferences and symposia reported in this and previous e-bulletins.

[upcoming]
BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM CHINESE-ARTBOOKS.COM

NEWS FROM CHINESE-ART.COM

Chinese Art at the End of the Millennium

Chinese Art at the End of the Millennium, a compilation of the essays and works that have appeared in the web journal Chinese-art.com in 1998 and 1999, is finished and now available in paperback! The book is edited by University of Sydney Professor of Art History and Theory John Clark.

To order at US$28, send us an e-mail now!

Traditional Chinese Art Magazine

A new issue of the Chinese-art.com Traditional Magazine went live this July and features color in Chinese art. Contributors include Niu Kecheng on colors in pre-modern painting, Li Xiaolu on color and ink painting, Jiang Caiping on pigments, and B. Cheng on the recently excavated Sui Dynasty sarcophagus of Yu Hong. In this issue, Chinese-art.com also begins providing theses on archaeology and art history in Chinese art history graduate programs, starting with the China Central Institute of Fine Arts in Beijing.

Contemporary Chinese Art Magazine

Don't forget to check out the latest issue (volume 3, issue 4) of the Chinese-art.com Contemporary Magazine, whose guest editor, Britta Erickson, focuses on "Recent Riffs on the Cultural Revolution in Chinese Art." Other contributors include Kathleen M. Ryor, "Transformations: Reflections on the Recent Past in Contemporary Chinese Art"; Francesca dal Lago, "Images, Words and Violence: Cultural Revolutionary Influences on Chinese Avant-Garde Art"; Bronwyn Mahoney, "Re-Staging the Tiger - - Feng Mengbo's Taking Mount Doom by Strategy"; Martina Koppel-Yang, "Remoulding a Hero; Remolding Icons"; and Zhu Qi, "Putting On and Taking Off: How the Mao Suit Became Art."

Print Copies of Chinese-art.com Publications

Too busy to browse? New Art Media Limited (HK) offers paper-bound, printed copies of Chinese-art.com web publications on a paid subscription basis.

Chinese-artbooks.com

Our on-line bookstore, Chinese-artbooks.com, offers a careful selection of English and Chinese publications on traditional and contemporary art. For a sampling of new books available on traditional Chinese art, please see our New Books section below.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS

Tombs Contain a Wealth of Artifacts and Architectural Forms

From February through May of this year in Santai, Sichuan Province, archaeologists launched a systematic re-examination of the Qiyang hanging cliff tombs. Over 1500 cliff tombs containing both multiple and single room structures, stone beds, stone cooking areas, niches, pottery, coins and a variety of other objects have been located thus far. Some of the tombs possess architecturally advanced roof and beam supports, wells, columns, buttressing arches and bracket systems. Wall carvings are also numerous and feature fish, dragons and birds. Among the most significant of the architectural finds are the Han Dynasty buttressed arches and columns. These columns take a variety of different forms, with 8- to 16-sided bases with multiple brackets and arms. Some of the columns are the first of their kind to be discovered. (see picture, Cypress Forest Tomb) Cypress Forest Tomb 1, in particular, has also provided a wealth of new information regarding early tomb archaeological structures. For example, it was previously thought that prior to the Five Dynasties (907-960) there were no examples of curved eaves in architecture, but the excavation of Tomb 1 has revealed the first of its kind. These numerous carved stone architectural forms often resemble wooden structures and include some of the earliest examples of both arch and beam supported archways. These finds will provide significant information which will aid in filling the historical gaps relating to early tomb architectural structure in China.

Yang Cunguan, Zhongguo wenwu bao (23 August 2000), p. 1.

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The Opening of the Anjia Tomb Reveals a Colorful Tale of History


Two dancing figures surround central flame


Hunter shoots bow and arrow to kill beast


Celebration with musical instruments and attendants

  

From May through July of 2000 in the Northern outskirts of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, an archaeological team uncovered the remains of a Northern Zhou (557-581) Anjia tomb. The wall of stone surrounding the tomb has attracted a great deal of attention due to the extensive use of colors and, most importantly, the gilding, which decorates the images of man and beast portrayed in various earthly and celestial scenes. Daily activities, musical performances, family, religion and burial reflect a Central and West Asian flavor. This discovery is the latest in a series which indicates the influx of Western influences from the Silk Road. Despite fire and smoke damage, which occured on the outside of the tomb, these inner walls have been left largely unharmed. The bones found within the grave, while blackened by smoke, give an indication as to burial practices and the placement of the deceased. Of particular note is the fact that despite the presence of a stone bed within the tomb, the body was not placed on this platform. This raises the question of the intended usage of the stone platform. Another question relates to smoke penetration within the tomb. Despite the extent of damage which blackened the corpse within the burial, the painted walls were left in pristine condition. Finally, a question regarding burial practices has been raised by the fact that a number of funerary objects, while portrayed in the artwork on the walls, are in fact absent from the previously unopened tomb. Further investigation into answering these questions should lead to a greater understanding of burial practice and tomb structure during the Northern Zhou.

Yin Shenping, Zhongguo wenwu bao (30 August 2000), p. 1.

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More Wonders Located on the "Latitude of Mysteries"

In April of 2000 archaeologists surveyed a set of caves called Tunxi (Stream Collecting Caves) in Anhui Province. People have often called this area, latitude 30 degrees, the "Latitude of Mysteries" due to its unpredictability and association with ghosts and strange occurrences. So far, surveyors have located over 28 caves, some as large as 4,000 square meters and others penetrating 80 meters or more into the center of the mountains of Shilin, Yingpai, Shiguying and Matou. Each cave has qualities which make it distinctive: one in particular is 50 meters wide, contains 24 columns, and rests partially submerged in the waters of the An River. Another holds artifacts such as spears, axes, pottery shards and lamps dating back as far as 208 A.D., which indicate previous human occupation of the caves. Whether these caves were used for habitation or ritual still remains undetermined. The extensive network of caves left largely uninvestigated holds more potential for futher archaeological finds.

Jiang Zhiwei, Zhongguo wenwu bao (30 August 2000), p 2.

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Laoshan Tomb Coffin to Be Opened

Archaeologists plan on opening the Laoshan tomb coffin in September of this year. The area of Laoshan, which is located 10 kilometers west of Beijing, has long been regarded as a major settlement site during the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-220 AD) dynasties. During the initial excavation of the Laoshan tomb, a skeleton was discovered in the front chamber. This find has led to a great deal of interest as to the identity of the tomb occupant. One archaeologist, Yu Weichao, has suggested that the skeleton is possibly that of a queen dating to the Western Han Dynasty (206-25 AD). Other archaeologists are less willing to speculate and choose to wait until the tomb has been removed from its two outer caskets and opened in the Beijing Research Institute of Cultural Heritage for further research into the identity of the occupant.

From China Daily (5 September 2000).

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Large-Scale Erlitou Well Found in Henan Province Provides New Information on the Xia Dynasty (22-17th century BC)

This past summer in Henan Province, archaeologists conducted a series of excavations within the areas of Yimin, Sanbeitou and Baigeda surrounding Jiyuan's ancient city of Zhiguo. The remains of Han (206 BC-220 AD), Sui (581-618), Song (960-1279), and over 60 Qing (1644-1911) tombs have been discovered so far. Of particular importance was the excavation of a large-scale Erlitou well, which contained over 400 artifacts from the Xia dynasty. Elliptical in shape and 10 meters deep, the well was filled with a number of objects, including fine decorated earthenware pottery, circular jars, li vessels, large-mouthed zun, and he vessels. Archaeologists also found a large number of small bone awls, blades, hairpins, etc., as well highly polished stone cleavers, chisels, knives, and shovels. This discovery is of particular significance since it provides a great deal of information regarding a period which until now has been largely lacking in archaeological finds. As examples from the first of the recorded dynasties within China, study of these Xia dynasty artifacts will provide a first and important step in establishing a better understanding of a crucial and early stage in China's development. The close proximity of Han, Sui, Song and Qing tombs also provides a broad range of finds in this area spanning 4,000 years of Chinese history. These tombs, when researched in relation to each other, should provide crucial information regarding dynastic development, habitation and transition within the region of Henan.

Chen Xiadang, Hu Yongqing, Wang Shengli, Zhongguo wenwu bao (10 September 2000), p. 1.

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Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Remains of a City Under a City Found in Jiangsu Province

The discovery of city remains under the city of Yuzhou, Jiangsu province, marks an important find for those researching the history of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) social and urban planning. From May through August of 2000, archaeologists conducted a large-scale excavation which revealed remains of a city consisting of 51 houses, wells, waste disposal area, a number of largely intact pieces of pottery and a wide range of of porcelains. Yuzhou is an example of a city built on the remains of a former city and, thus, provides valuable information in understanding the demise and reconstruction of cities upon ancient remains. The site covers 3,100 square meters and is divided into east and west sections separated by a central road. In each section the dominant structural pattern consists of courtyards with wells. This site is notable for not only its size but also its numerous houses, main road, courtyards, wells, and waste disposal area. The area is also rich in pottery for everyday use, ceramics and objects made of tin, bamboo, stone, and bone. The close proximity to the Yellow River marks this site as having a long history of settlement and city building. The earliest pieces found at the site date to the late Yuan (1206-1368) and early Ming (1368-1644) dynasties. The site, therefore, provides valuable information concerning daily life and city construction during this period of dynastic transition.

Sheng Zhebin, Liu Zunzhi, Liu Zhaojian, Zhongguo wenwu bao (13 September 2000), p. 1.

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Discovery of a Tomb During Construction in Beijing Results in Grave Robbery

Less than a month after two separate incidents of tomb looting in Beijing, another case of grave robbery occured in Chaoyang district on 16 August. During road construction in Tiaojia Park, workers discovered bricks of an ancient city wall. After notifying the Chaoyang Department of Culture and Antiquities, the Beijing Cultural Relics Institute began to organize an archaeological team to survey the site. But while organizing the team and designating police to protect the site, the Institute received a construction report stating that there had already been some damage done to the tomb. The Department of Antiquities immediately ordered the construction company working on the site to protect the site from further damage. However, on the morning of the 17th, the archaeological team arrived at the site to find that the tomb had not only been damaged it had already been looted. Fragments of red lacquer spotted with gold were just a few remains left at the site. From these scraps of information archaeologists have determined that the contents of the site were of "very high quality." According to the accounts of some of the workers, on the night of 16 August approximately 10 people driving cars and jeeps looted the site for 7-8 hours, yet no one contacted the authorities. This case follows two previous incidents in Chaoyang district this year. One incidence of theft occurred on 4 July in a tomb discovered during the East-West road construction project. On 28 July, a tomb found during the construction of the 4th Ring Road also suffered looting. Most of these tombs date to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Investigations into these cases continue, as well as criticism of the construction company, which did not fully cooperate with archaeologists in their attempts to excavate the site and which was responsible for maintaining the area involved in each of the cases.

Tian Yuanxin, Zhongguo wenwu bao (13 September 2000), p. 1.

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Ghengis Khan's Tomb?

In Qinghe County of Northern Xinjiang, archaeologists have recently discovered what they believe may be the tomb of Ghengis Khan, founder of ancient Mongolia and whose grandson, Kublai Khan, established the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). "This is the real tomb of Genghis Khan. The tomb at the Gandeli steppe in southwestern Inner Mongolia was not the burial ground of this ancient Mongol ruler," says Zhang Hui, a research fellow at the Xinjiang Museum. Despite perpetual disagreement among scholars on the location of the burial, some facts have been established prior to this discovery. After dying of illness in 1227 in today's Gansu province, the body of this fearsome leader was buried in secret by his generals, according to Mongolian tradition of his hometown. Historical records report that Genghis Khan came to Altai with his troops on six occasions. The ruins of a four-lane road for his troops and army tents are still extant. Whether or not this is the actual tomb of Genghis Khan requires further investigation.

From People's Daily on-line (14 September 2000).

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NOTEWORTHY ESSAYS

Will there be a U.S. Embargo on Chinese Art?

This is a question which has generated a great deal of speculation due to a recent set of rumours that the People's Republic of China is preparing to send a secret request to the United States to establish an embargo on Chinese art, especially antiquities. While such unconfirmed news has created a flurry of panic among auction houses and collectors alike, given the ever-expanding trend of tomb looting and forgeries and in part fueled by the strong antiquities' market, can the PRC be blamed for such a request? And if such rumours are in fact true, then what direction might such negotiations would take?

In trying to answer these questions, it is important to review the legal history surrounding the U.S. art market. The U.S. is a signatory to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on Movable Cultural Property. While signed in 1971, it took 12 years for ratification of this bill. Even in 1983 when the Convention on Cultural Properties Implementation Act was finally ratified, certain clauses of the original 1970 Convention were excluded, in particular a clause allowing foreign nations to impose their export control laws within the U.S. Instead, a committee of 11 experts, 3 archaeologists, 3 members of the public, 3 experts in international sales and 2 museum representatives would be appointed by the President to judge the merits of foreign patrimony claims and to make recommendations to the Department of State. The four primary criteria established by Congress in determining such claims are: (1) there is widespread contemporary looting of archaeological sites that the country cannot prevent; (2) the U.S. market demand is fuelling the pillage for important works of art; (3) there is a broad international consensus of action to stem the trade of these objects; and (4) there is no better remedy available. If all criteria are met, then restrictions may be placed by the President upon the importation of these objects.

Particularly distressing for those who oppose the embargo is the fact that these negotiations are conducted in secrecy and, therefore, if an embargo was requested, then the public would find out about the application only a few weeks before the committee's meeting and would find out about an embargo only on the day which it goes into effect. What has created the greatest unrest among those who are pro-trade is the fact that all three dealer seats within the committee are currently vacant, making the request for restrictions much easier to approve. Thus, if a request were in fact to appear in the near future, then some form of ban could very well be the final outcome. Since there is no route of appeal, the federal directive issued by the President would take force immediately. Additionally, due to the present status of trade relations with China, the passage of such an embargo is all the more likely. All of these factors have worried those with a stake in the antiquities market. But the dilemma still remains that if theft of antiquities continues to increase and the PRC remains unable to stem the flood of illegal exportation of cultural treasures, then if not an embargo, then other solutions must be found for preventing the continued loss of objects valuable not just to archaeological research but also to China's cultural heritage.

Based on an article by Frederick Schultz, The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000), p. 1.

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China Plans to Repair Ancient City Ruins

During the next five years, China plans to invest a great sum of money into the preservation project for an ancient city in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A total of 17.5 million yuan (about 2.1 million US dollars) will be devoted to repairs of the Jiaohe Ruins, the world's biggest and best-protected relics of clay-built city. Located some 20 km east of Turpan, the ruins of Jiaohe, meaning "old city between two rivers," is an ancient frontier army citadel of the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 25 AD). As the capital of Turpan's earliest residents of the Cheshi State, the 220,000-square-meter city is also the most intact capital relics within China. Yue Feng, president of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Xinjiang, said that repair work will be done to the temples, eastern city gate, ancient houses, pagodas and the thousand Buddhas cave. In the past two years, the administration has already spent some 3.3 million RMB on the protection of the city, a religious and cultural center of the region. As a key link of the ancient Silk Road, the Jiaohe City had both geographic and strategic importance.

From People's Daily on-line (23 August 2000).

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Modern Dunhuang Grottoes Along Silk Road

A new project has been undertaken at the Dunhuang caves in Northwest Gansu Province. Construction of a Dunhuang Modern Grotto Art Project has begun. The project's layout was designed by Wang Dawei, dean of the Art School at Shanghai University. The all new underground grottos will cover 100,000 square meters and will include an entrance, a sunlit corridor, artists living quarters and areas for modern art grottos, multimedia model grottos, exhibitions and cultural exchanges. The multifunctional caves are intended for use as an art museum, a workshop, and an art information exchange center. The designer says internal walls and ceilings of the new grottoes will display rocks in their primitive form while the floors will be polished marble. Tunnels linking the grotto gate to the underground caves are also under construction. The project was initiated by Chang Shuhong, the first director of the Dunhuang Research Institute.

From China Radio International (15 September 2000).


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EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUM NEWS

[past and ongoing]

Readers may wish to view a calendar listing all June 2000 to May 2001 exhibitions reported in this and previous e-bulletins.

Arts of China
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Continuing

This exhibition includes over 200 jades, bronzes, Buddhist sculpture and wall paintings, glass, lacquerware, furniture and paintings from the Neolithic period through the 20th century.

From Orientations.

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Luxury Arts of the Silk Route Empires
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC
Continuing

On display are 82 examples of metalwork and ceramics from the Sackler Gallery and Freer galleries illustrating multicultural influences between the arts from lst through 7th century AD.

From Orientations.

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Shades of Green and Blue: Chinese Celadon Ceramics
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Continuing

44 ceramics will be exhibited demonstrating the development of celadon-glaze from the earliest of the Shang dynasty to its height in the Song period alongside wares from Vietnam, Korea, Thailand and Japan.

From Orientations.

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Ancient Chinese Pottery and Bronzes
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Continuing

Fifty ceramics and bronze vessels from the Neolithic through the Bronze Age will be displayed to demonstrate the stylistic connection between ancient ceramic and bronze production.

From Orientations.

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Wonders of Clay and Fire : Chinese Ceramics Through the Ages
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Continuing

This exhibition provides a comprehensive look at Chinese ceramic history from the 5th millennium BCE to the 15th century CE.

From Orientations.

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Intimate Rituals and Personal Devotions
The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, Florida
Until 14 January 2001

This exhibition includes culturally diverse works of Buddhist and Hindu works of art dating from the 5th century to the present. Art and its importance in spiritual practice will be addressed.

From Orientations.

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Visions de Sagesse: Arts du Tibet et de l'Himalaya
Musee des Beaux-Arts et d'Archeologie, Roanne, France
Until 22 October 2000

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The Dragon's Moan
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
13 September - 1 October 2000

This exhibition will feature eleven objects, which span 1500 years of history and which relate to the qin and its prominent role in Chinese art, literature and folklore. Examples of the bronze keys used to tune the qin and bronze mirrors cast with images of legendary qin players will be among the objects displayed. Paintings, porcelains, poetry, and prose that convey the qin's popularity will also be featured. For more information contact (202) 357-2700.

From AsiaEvents.

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Differences Preserved: Reconstructed Tombs from the Liao and Song Dynasties
Boston University Art Gallery, Boston
15 September - 29 October 2000

For more information please contact http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~asiactr/EAB.html.

From AsiaEvents.

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Crow Collection of Asian Art
Dallas, Texas

Aesthetic Hybridity in Japanese Art : Selections from the Crow Collection of Asian Art
Through 15 October 2000

Man, Animals and Nature in Asian Religions
Through 31 October 2000

The Mystical Arts of Tibet : Mandala and Sand Paintings
17-23 September 2000

For more information contact www.crowcollection.org.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Dancing Demons: Ceremonial Masks of Mongolia
Asia Society, New York
Through 17 September 2000

This exhibition will feature masks, costumes, head-dresses, ritual aprons and ceremonial implements from the 19th and 20th centuries used in the Lamaist Buddhist "devil dance" ceremonies of Mongolia. Such ceremonies were practiced to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck. Over 60 objects, never before shown in the U.S., from the National Museum and the great monasteries of Mongolia, will be on display. Also on show at Asia Society is Journey to Enlightenment : Photographs of Tibet and Bhutan by Matthieu Ricard through 17 September. For more information contact (212) 288-6400.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Elegance and Radiance: Grandeur in Qing Glass - The Andrew K.F. Lee Collection
The Chinese University Art Museum, Hong Kong
Until 5 November 2000

Glass works including monochromes, polychromes, overlays, enamel-painted, gilded and carved pieces in a variety of forms colours will be displayed. Some of the early pieces show the influence of the Western missionaries and most reflect the craftsmanship and high quality of the Qing workshops.

From Orientations.

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Ancient Chinese Glass from the Kwan Collection
The Chinese University Art Museum, Hong Kong
Until 5 November 2000

Over 200 items dating from the Eastern Zhou to Ming period including beads, hairpins, bracelets, objects for daily use and for burial purposes will be on display.

From Orientations.

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[upcoming]

Readers may wish to view a calendar listing all June 2000 to May 2001 exhibitions reported in this and previous e-bulletins.

Returning National Treasures
Museum of Chinese History
Through 13 October 2000

Approximately 70 pieces including carved stone, porcelain, pottery, glassware, bronze mirrors and ancient paintings will be displayed. This exhibition will cover a wide range of Chinese history starting with pieces from prior to the New Stone Age through modern times. All pieces have been repatriated over the past few years and are on display to show the importance of protecting China's cultural and artistic heritage. One of the most acclaimed pieces is a 1,000 year old painted stone relief of a warrior from a Five Dynasties (AD 907-960) tomb. The piece has a long history of movement and ownership. After being excavated in 1994 in Hebei province it was sold in Hong Kong by tomb robbers and finally shipped to America where it was purchased by a collector before returning to China this past spring.

From Beijing Weekend - China Daily (29 September - 1 October)

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Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Hong Kong
Antiquities and Monuments Office
Hong Kong
October-December 2000

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The Khoan and Michael Sullivan Gallery of Chinese Painting
Ashmolean Museum Oxford, England
Opening 12 October 2000

To celebrate the opening of a new gallery of Chinese paintings, works by Zha Shibiao, Gai Qi, Ren Yi, Wu Changshuo, Fu Baoshi, Liu Shoukwan and others will be displayed. A one day colloquium will also be held.

From Orientations.

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Worlds of Transformation : Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion
Organized by Tibet House
28 October 2000 - 7 February 2001

This exhibition will feature the Shelly and Donald Rubin Collection of Tibetan thangkas. For more information please contact http://www.museum.cornell.edu.

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Views of Fabulous China
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
8 November 2000 - 6 May 2001

An exhibition of Chinese watercolors.

From Orientations.

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La voix du dragon (Voice of the Dragon)
Cite de la Musique, Paris
 21 November 2000 - 25 February 2001

Ancient musical instruments from the Warring States tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng.

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East Asian Sculpture
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
30 November 2000 - Autumn 2002

This exhibition includes religious stone sculptures, primarily Buddhist and dating from the 2nd to 16th century.

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Masks of Mystery
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
21 December 2000 - 18 March 2001
http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/coming_masksmystery.act

This exhibition will provide the rare opportunity to see a selection of bronze Masks from the Sacrificial Pits of the Ancient Shu Kingdom of Southwest China. Archaeologists in 1986 discovered two sacrificial pits, which in addition to containing a number of elephant tusks and charred animal bones, also presented a treasure trove of masks dating to the 13th century BCE. Since little is known of the Ancient Shu peoples these masks are not just a mystery but more importantly a link in beginning to understand this historical period.

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Worshipping the Ancestors: Ritual and Commemorative Portraits in Late Imperial China
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
17 June 2001 - 9 September 2001

This exhibit will feature brightly colored portraits primarily focusing on members of the Qing dynasty imperial family and social elite. Examples of Qing dynasty costume and furniture will also be presented, as well as a `book of faces' that served as a guide to for artists to create ancestor portraits of the deceased.

From Orientations.

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Chinese Furniture
Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle
July 2001 - July 2002
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org

An exhibition featuring celebrated furniture of the Ming and Qing period from the Seattle Art Museum's collection.

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[museum news]

Change in Leadership at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

After 30 years of creating dynamic changes and exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wen C. Fong, 69, first consultative chairman of the Department of Asian Art and its Douglas Dillon Curator of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, officially went into retirement on 30 June 2000. His extensive efforts to expand the Museum's East Asian collection have created galleries rich in a vast array of Japanese and Chinese paintings, calligraphy, jades and even a replica of a Ming Dynasty garden. He also has headed such unforgetable exhibitions as The Great Bronze Age of China in 1980 and Splendors of Imperial China: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei in 1996. James Watt (Qu Zhiren) will serve as Fong's well-qualified successor, bringing to the position years of experience as Senior Consultant for Antiquities and Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan from 1985 to 1998. Within the Metropolitan he has planned and installed the Charlotte C. Weber Galleries for the Arts of Ancient China and has also organized numerous exhibitions and contributed to the catalogues accompanying each show. His museum post, in addition to numerous others and long history of teaching and research appointments, illustrate Watt's unique ability to act as Wen Fong's successor.

J. May Lee Barrett, The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000), p. 2.

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The Opening of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Sha Tin, Hong Kong
Autumn 2000

Exhibition galleries in this new museum will include the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall; T.T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art housing primarily Chinese bronzes, ceramics and pottery from the T.T. Tsui collection; the Chao Shao-an Gallery dedicated to the display of this Lingnan master's paintings, manuscripts and sketches; The Art of Traditional Woodblock Printing Gallery; Living in the 21st Century Gallery featuring works by local artists and students; Qing Imperial Banquet Gallery featuring a hundred exhibits on loan from the Palace Museum in Beijing. The museum is designed after a traditional Chinese courtyard.

From Orientations.

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Dunhuang Goes Digital

One of China's ancient wonders, the Dunhuang Caves, have been catapulted into the 21st century with the newest digital technology. China has applied the world's most advanced digital camera and computer processing technology for the preservation of Dunhuang's artistic and historical masterpieces. Most importantly for scholars, computer archives of the works will be available for research and for the creation of a permanent record. This project has also taken a major investment from home and abroad with the Chinese government investing 2m RMB and Northwest University of Xi'an providing technical assistance.

From People's Daily overseas edition, (17 August 2000).

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China's First Fresco Museum

The first Chinese museum devoted to frescos will be built at a temple in the suburbs of Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province. The 1,200-year-old Pilu Temple boasts more than 200 square meters of murals drawn in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). These murals feature traditional Chinese culture, history, various peoples, historic and legendary stories. The murals' value as a national treasure has been compared with those at Dunhuang Grottoes in Gansu Province, in Fahai Temple in Beijing, and in Yongle Palace of north China's Shanxi Province. The museum is also expected to house thousands of murals unearthed from ancient tombs and collected by museums in the province. However, since most of these murals have suffered centuries of erosion, a conservation effort must take place before display.

From People's Daily on-line (23 August 2000).

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AUCTION & MARKET NEWS

[recent]

XXe Biennale Des Antiquaires
Carousel Du Louvre, Paris
15 September - 1 October 2000

Pieces on exhibition will include a bronze horse from the Han Period (206 BC - 220 AD), horse with chariot from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD), wooden standing Bodhissattva from late Tang Dynasty. For more information please contact tel: 33 1/43 16 49 42

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Asia Week New York
Sothebys New York
Exhibition : 15 September 2000
Auction : 20-22 September 2000

Auctions of a variety of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Southeast Asian Art will be conducted.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Radiant Stones: Archaic Chinese Jades
29 September - 2 December 2000
Myers Gallery, 11 Rue de Baune, Paris

This collection features Chinese Jades from the Neolithic Period through the Han Dynasty. For more information contact mmyersgal@aol.com.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Christie's

Chinese Ceramics, Paintings and Work of Art Exhibition
New York
Preview : 12-20 September
Auction : 21 September

Exhibition Items include fine Chinese ceramics, paintings and works of art including a bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara (10th Century AD).

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New York Arts of Pacific Asia Show
69th Regent Armory, Lexington Avenue and 26th Street
Preview: 20 September 2000
Auction: 21-24 September 2000

Over 70 galleries and dealers participated in this event, "the most important antique fair for Japanese works of art, Chinese jade and ceramics." For more information, contact www.caskeylees@earthlink.net, or call (310) 455-2886.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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[upcoming]

Treasures from the Hoi An Hoard
Preview: New York
14-22 September 2000
Preview: Los Angeles
23-25 September 2000
Preview: San Francisco
5-10 October 2000

Auction : Los Angeles and San Francisco
11-13 October, 4 December 2000
On-line Sales: mid-October 2000

This collection includes extremely rare examples of late 15th/early 16th century Vietnamese high-fired stoneware which was recently salvaged from a 500-year old shipwreck at the depths of the South China Sea. Over 50,000 of these highly unusual and rare items will be on auction both online, mid-October through www.ebaygreatcollections.com and through live auction in Los Angeles and San Francisco. For more information contact www.hoianhoard.com.

From www.butterfields.com.

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Los Angeles Arts of Pacific Asia Show
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Preview: 6 October 2000
Auction: 7-8 October 2000

Over 70 galleries and dealers participated in this event, "the most important antique fair for Japanese works of art, Chinese jade and ceramics." For more information, contact www.caskeylees@earthlink.net, or call (310) 455-2886.

From The Asian Art Newspaper (September 2000).

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Chinese Art from the Wei to the Tang Dynasties
The Chinese Porcelain Company, New York
11-28 October 2000

The star piece of the show is a Tang dynasty sancai pottery court lady in a chignon, seated on a waisted circular garden seat. Her face is delicately painted and modelled, and her shawl and dress are covered with a bright finely crackled green, straw and chestnut-splashed glaze.

From Orientations.

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17th and 18th Century Chinese Porcelain from Distinguished Private Collections
The Chinese Porcelain Company, New York
11-28 October 2000

This show includes some interesting examples of blanc-de-chine and famille-verte porcelain, reflecting the taste of early 20th-century collectors such as J.P. Morgan and Henry Clay Frick. Highlights include an unusually large blanc-de-chine seated Guanyin, formerly in the collection of the Singer Memorial Foundation in the Netherlands, which dates from the Wanli period. Also included are a large Kangxi period famille-rose baluster vase from the collection of John D. Rockefeller and Nelson A. Rockefeller as well as a blanc-de-chine Bodhidharma from the Edward Chow collection.

From Orientations.

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Whispered Prayers: Images and Objects of Himalayan Culture
Folk Art International, Frank Lloyd Wright Building, San Francisco
12 October - 25 November 2000

This exhibition features wood and bronze statues of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and trantric deities, as well as Tibetan thangkas. The exhibition takes its name from the latest work by Stephen Harrison, who will open the show with a book signing. Contemporary portraits of Tibetan refugees in exile taken from Harrison's book are also on show together with historic photographs of the Dalai Lama and Lhasa. Ten percent of all sales during the exhibition will be donated to the American-Tibetan Foundation.

From Orientations.

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International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show
Regiment Armory, New York
20-26 October 2000

Asian art dealers participating include Ralph M. Chait Galleries, Doris Wiener and E&J Frankel.

From Orientations.

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Sothebys

Chinese and Japanese Ceramics and Works of Art
Amsterdam
31 October 2000

Commemoration Sale: The Netherlands - Japan 400 Years Chinese and Japanese Ceramics and Works of Art
Amsterdam
27 November 2000

Fine Chinese Ceramics and Chinese Export Porcelain
London
14 November 2000

From Orientations.

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Christie's

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