BE THEREThe World of Khubilai KhanPresented by Metropolitan Museum of Art September 28, 2010- January 2, 2011
Judging from the placid countenance on his official portrait, painted in minute detail down to the tiny spikes of hair emerging from his shaven skull, it is hard to imagine that Khubilai Khan succeeded in conquering all of Southern China and, in so doing, in ruling one fifth of the inhabited world. This implacable man, the grandson of Genghis Khan, with his broad features dominated by small watchful eyes, appears before us wearing a simple white robe and hat, devoid of jewelry or any of the obvious trappings of rulership. Yet it was Khubilae’s extraordinary combination of military genius, administrative foresight and religious tolerance that gave rise to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) – meaning the beginning - a period of brilliant artistic life in China, now the subject of an arresting new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of us picturing the Mongolian empire think horses, banners, colorful tents, deadly bow and arrows, and lots of portable loot. This is the opposite of what awaits you at the Khubilai Khan Exhibition which opens September 28th. The result of decades of planning and cooperation with Chinese museums and collections worldwide, the exhibition presents a stunning mix of monumental sculpture, rare textiles, jewelry, exquisitely painted scrolls, ceramics, metalwork, and other decorative arts. It offers everything from towering stone sculptures of fierce guards to the diminutive black silk brimmed hat with a cloth- flap to prevent sunburn worn by the emperor Wang Shixian. One of the most arresting pieces is a giant ceramic dragon with lustrous green and gold glaze, its mouth snarling, designed to adorn the tip of temple roof. It is fearsome sign of imperial power, fire and the connection with the heavens. Nearby, a photograph shows a pair of similar dragons silhouetted against the sky, echoing the fantastic curved lines of the temple which they guarded. This immensely complex exhibition, organized by subject and materials, is engineered with an acumen worthy of Khublilae Khan and his followers who divided China into ten governable regions, built a vast network of roads, canals, cities, administrative buildings and 22, 000 schools. The first section shows objects of daily life from gold beakers – a handle being a must for drinking on the road – lavish gold textiles, jewelry and luxuries including the most delicate turquoise glass cup and saucer in the shape of a lotus flower (my personal favorite). The next hall with the famed Dragon which serves as a mascot for the show focuses on the immensely popular Yuan Theater. Still popular in China today, it has even had an impact on European theatre most notably Berthold Brecht’s Chalk Circle. Religion dominates the third hall which shows the extraordinary co-existence of various forms of Buddhism, Daoism, and even rare Christian sects thanks to the Yuan policy of religious tolerance. Although the court favored Esoteric Buddhism from Tibet, the polytheistic aspects of Daoism held great appeal to the once nomadic Mongols who originally practiced a form of shamanism. A magnificent large woven Tantric Mandela from the 13th century in a stellar state of preservation still vibrates with gorgeous hues of jade, terracotta and indigo, showing the sophistication of court textiles. In a room of outstanding masterpieces, make sure to see the crisp paintings on paper and silk scrolls by the revered painter Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322) which capture with such elegance and vivacity the exact stance of men and horses. The master’s deft incorporation of poetry and calligraphy also demonstrate the fusion of skills that the artist-scholar aspired to during this period. The dynamism of Yuan art can be traced in part to an infusion of a new energy from surrounding cultures alongside the preservation of traditional Chinese art forms. Imperial policy also spurred the arts by transporting thousands of talented weavers from the western empire to be set up workshops in the eastern dominion. By facilitating commerce through the invention of paper money, improving roads and favoring trade, the Yuan dynasty fueled new wealth and encouraged the growth of artistic patronage. Although the show is dimly light due to the fragility of many works and some of their vibrancy is lost, the cumulative effect is a feeling of astonishing discovery of a period often little known or understood by Western eyes. Clearly it was this art that fired the visions of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Kubla Khan and will continue to do so for anyone who takes the time to look. So think again on Coleridge’s verse and travel back in time with your eyes wide-open,
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