New York, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) – The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) in Ohio, United States, will host a groundbreaking exhibition from Sept. 10 that explores the historical and cultural treasures of China’s Lower Yangtze River Delta. Titled “China’s Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta,” the exhibition will run until Jan. 7, 2024 in CMA’s Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall. This is the first exhibition in the Western world to focus on the artistic production and cultural significance of the region located in the coastal area south of the Yangtze River, as stated in a press release by CMA.
The exhibition comprises approximately 200 artifacts dating from Neolithic times to the 18th century, including jade, silk, prints, paintings, porcelain, lacquer, and bamboo carvings. These items are a result of major loans from over 30 institutions worldwide, alongside selections from CMA’s renowned collection of Chinese art. Rarely seen objects from six Chinese institutions, such as the Beijing Palace Museum, the Shanghai Museum, and the Nanjing Museum, shed light on the rise of Jiangnan—meaning “south of the Yangtze River”—and its influential role in China’s artistic production and cultural standards.
Clarissa von Spee, the exhibition’s curator and the James and Donna Reid Curator of Chinese Art, Interim Curator of Islamic Art, and Chair of Asian Art at CMA, expressed, “To bring these rare, unique treasures together from around the world provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors, nationally and abroad, to witness the richness and unsurpassed quality of art from a part of China that is still associated with natural beauty, elegance, high culture, and erudition. Jiangnan imagery and goods that reached 18th-century Europe shaped our idea of China more than any other region.”
William M. Griswold, the director and president of CMA, stated, “This is an exhibition that the Cleveland Museum of Art is uniquely qualified to organize. Our incredible holdings of Chinese art have inspired the confidence of our more than 30 partners across the world to lend works of art, which allow us to present an exhibition with objects of impressive quality and scope never seen together before.”
Throughout its history, the Lower Yangtze River Delta has been a prosperous and densely populated region known for its fertile lands. With a long history of rich agriculture, extensive trade, and influential art production, Jiangnan—home to prominent cities like Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing—has symbolized traditional China for the world. Its picturesque landscapes of hills, rivers, and lakes have played a defining role in shaping the global perception of China’s cultural identity.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
