Vancouverites will soon have the chance to take a peek into Beijing's Forbidden City, when "The Forbidden City: Inside the Court of China's Emperors" opens at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Beijing's Palace Museum, as "The Forbidden City" was renamed in 1961, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Exploring the life of Chinese emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the exhibit, which will arrive in Vancouver after a spell in Toronto, offers an exclusive look at 500 years of China's history.
Running from Oct. 18, 2014 to Jan. 11, 2015, "The Forbidden City" will bring nearly 200 treasured objects from the period between 1416 to 1911, including ceramics, textiles, costumes and paintings, as well as objects of gold, silver, ivory, and enamel. There will also be musical instruments, Palace models and blueprints, photographs, medical and astronomical instruments, and official documents on display.
Imperial Palace,” said VAG Director Kathleen Bartels in a press release.
“The presentation of this exhibition will mark an important milestone in the institution’s ongoing and fervent commitment to explore and present art from China and the Asia Pacific,” Bartels said at a news conference Monday, The Globe and Mail reported. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and B.C. Premier Christy Clark were also there, the newspaper reports.
According to Global News, there are about 1.5 million objects in the Palace's collection, approximately 80 of which are making their first trip out of the museum for this exhibition.
'The Forbidden City: Inside the Court of China's Emperors'
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