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Gold & Jade: Imperial Jewelry of the Ming Dynasty from the Nanjing Municipal Museum
金与玉：公元14 — 17世纪中国贵族首饰

February 12 – June 5, 2004

Drawn from the prominent collection of the Nanjing Municipal Museum, this exhibition presented over eighty pieces of jewelry from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), including hairpins, earrings, head ornaments, crown ornaments, bracelets, and pendants fashioned from jade, gold, and precious stones. Unearthed from the Ming dynasty tombs of nobles and officials, these objects established a firsthand standard for the dated jewelry of this period. The exhibition explored the complex political, social, and economic context that gave rise to the long-lasting dress code conventions in imperial China. The exhibition marked the first time these precious objects were exhibited outside of China.

Curated by Willow Weilan Hai, Jerome Silbergeld, and Jian Rong

Exhibition from the Nanjing Municipal Museum, condensed and reorganized by China Institute Gallery; catalogue published by Wenhui Chubanshe, Shanghai, China; copyright 2004 by Wenhui Chubanshe, Shanghai, China.

Media Coverage

  • Wendy Moonan, “Antiques: Jade for the Elite,” The New York Times, May 21, 2004.
  • “Gold and Jade: Imperial Jewelry of the Ming Dynasty from the Nanjing Municipal Museum, China Institute Gallery,” Oriental Art, Winter 2003.

    “Exhibited for the first time outside China, at the China Institute Gallery, New York, this magnificent show of excavated pieces from the Nanjing Municipal Museum … show the remarkable sophisticated art of jeweler ornamentation and craftsmanship in the Ming, as well as provides insights into the dress codes, imperial, social and political culture of the times.”

Media Coverage

  • China Press 侨报
  • World Journal 世界日报
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