Painting with Threads: Chinese Tapestry and Embroidery, 12th–19th Century
At The Met Fifth Avenue
October 25, 2014–August 9, 2015
The thinness and strength of silk make it the ideal material for weaving or embroidering elegant, painting-like images characterized by fluid outlines, rich colors, and even the addition of calligraphic inscriptions and seals. Drawn from the Metropolitan's superb holdings of Chinese tapestries and embroideries, this installation, which features several pieces not exhibited previously, presents dramatic landscapes, flowers and birds, famous immortals, and stunning examples of calligraphy, showcasing the artistic imagination and technical sophistication of China's textile artists.
The exhibition is made possible by the Joseph Hotung Fund.
Immortal Holding a Peach. China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Silk tapestry (kesi); Overall: 46 x 24 in. (116.8 x 61 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Ellis G. Seymour, 1926 (26.114.4)
