Underglazed Red Yuhuchun Vase with Pine, Bamboo and Plum Design features an elegant shape, pure glaze colour and well-spaced decorative patterns. It is undisputedly the cream of imperial kiln porcelains during the Hongwu emperor’s rule in the Ming dynasty.
Jointly organised by the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the large-scale exhibition “Quintessence of Imperial Kiln Porcelain of the Ming Dynasty from the Palace Museum Collection” will be inaugurated on 10 December 2021, at 5:15pm, at the MAM. The exhibition features a total of 120 representative pieces from imperial kilns produced in the Hongwu to Wanli periods, presenting exquisite craftsmanship that deserves savouring. The public is welcome to visit.
With the continuous development of ceramic techniques in the Ming Dynasty, luminous painted porcelain was produced in addition to blue-and-white porcelain. Established in the second year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1369 A.D.), the “Imperial Porcelain Factory” in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, was dedicated in producing porcelain for the royal court. It was the largest official kiln that produced the most varieties of porcelains with the finest techniques. The imperial kiln porcelain not only manifests the absolute authority of the emperor, but also reveals the aesthetic tastes of the royal court in the Ming Dynasty. In the exhibition, the public can have a more comprehensive understanding of the varieties of porcelain from imperial kilns in the Ming Dynasty and its artistic achievements, as well as the history of Jingdezhen, which was known as the “Porcelain Capital”.
In order to enhance the public’s interest in the exhibition, a number of outreach activities will be held, including talks hosted by experts from the Palace Museum, guided tours, workshops and games with prizes. The talk entitled “Appreciation of the blue and white porcelain produced from the imperial kiln in the Ming Dynasty” hosted by the researcher at the Palace Museum Zhao Congyue will be held on 7 December (Tuesday) at 7pm in the Auditorium of the Macao Museum of Art, in which the speaker will analyse the characteristics of blue-and-white porcelain in terms of shape, glaze and decorative patterns at different periods of the Ming dynasty and explain their causes. Registered participants are advised to arrive punctually. Another two talks hosted by experts from the Palace Museum will also be held in January and March 2022, respectively. Further information will be announced later.
The exhibition, jointly organised by the Macao Museum of Art of the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Palace Museum, co-organised by the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Macao Foundation, and supported by the Macao Daily News, is held until 6 March 2022. Guided tours in Cantonese are available on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The MAM is open daily from 10am to 7pm (last admission at 6:30pm) including public holidays, and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free. For more information about the exhibition and activities, please visit MAM’s website at www.MAM.gov.mo. In cooperation with epidemic prevention efforts of the SAR Government, visitors must wear face masks at all times, undergo temperature checks and present their health code of the day.
