Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644–1912

Description:

Empresses in the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) played an influential role in the imperial court and the cosmopolitan culture of their time. Offering compelling insights into the material culture, activities, and living spaces of Qing empresses, this lavishly illustrated book features over one hundred spectacular works of art from the Palace Museum in Beijing—including large-scale portraits, court robes, and richly decorated Buddhist sutras—that bring the splendor of the Qing court to life. A series of insightful essays examines the fascinating ways that key imperial women engaged with art, religion, and politics. This unprecedented exploration of the Qing court from the perspective of its royal women is an important new contribution to our understanding of Chinese art and history.

The publication accompanied the nationally touring exhibition Empresses of China’s Forbidden City on view at the Peabody Essex Museum from August 18, 2018, to February 10, 2019, and the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, from March 30 to June 23, 2019.

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