The Manchu ruled during the final imperial dynasty of China, a time of foreign influence and challenge.
1644–1912 C.E.
Beginner's Guide
What is the Qing dynasty?
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Portraits of Shi Wenying and Lady Guan
Ancestor portraits are typically commissioned by the family members of the deceased ancestors
Summer chaofu (formal court dress) for a top-rank prince
China has captivated the world for thousands of years with its skill and creativity in working with silk.
Landscape: tea sipping under willows
Tea drinking has been an essential part of Chinese culture for centuries
Imperial Workshop and Giuseppe Castiglione, The Qianlong Emperor as Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
This painting belongs to a small group of eight similar, imperially commissioned works that depict the Qianlong Emperor as the bodhisattva Manjushri
Lacquer box decorated with images of Spring and longevity
It must have been incredibly time consuming and expensive to make this box, the design of which, with its bright colors and three-dimensional imagery, is exceptionally vibrant.
Vase of bottle shape with “garlic” mouth
The fine quality of the porcelain and delicate painting details both suggest that the vase was made for and used by the imperial court in China
Summer Palace in Beijing
The Summer Palace in Beijing is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.
Zisha “Ru Ding” teapot, Yixing ware
A tiny teapot made for a literati audience in Qing dynasty China
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), an introduction
The Qing dynasty, especially in the eighteenth century when the Qing empire was the largest and most prosperous in the world, saw prolific cultural and artistic achievements.
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