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April 4-10, 2002 artpicks Threads of Majesty
ArtChinese silk textiles -- a pinnacle of cultural achievement on many levels, economically and politically, as well as scientifically and aesthetically -- can normally be seen by the public in only a handful of places in Philadelphia. At any given time, a few are on display at both the Art Museum and Penn's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, rotated from permanent collections, and others can be seen, in contemporary forms, throughout Chinatown. Now, for the first time, a collection of rare silk items from the National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, China, is on display in Philadelphia, though only for a few short weeks. The show contains more than 60 pieces from throughout Chinese history, beginning with the Han dynasty, in the third century B.C., and ending with an item from the early 20th century. The show includes decorative textiles, imperial accoutrements, robes, pants, skirts, shoes and even underwear. The artisanship of the textiles is exquisite, but the most marvelous thing is the translation of traditional symbols and mythology into luminous colors, patterns and motives. One 18th- to 19th-century coat has patterns of butterflies (emblems of joy and a happy marriage) and peonies (symbolizing opulence and the month of March), giving it visual richness and meaning. This, and many other pieces in this comprehensive but all-too-brief exhibition, offers a rare glimpse into the beauty and grandeur of a far-off land. “Threads of Majesty: 2,000 Years of Silk Culture in China,” April 3-17, Behrakis Grand Hall in the Creese Student Center, Drexel University, 32nd and Chestnut sts., 215-895-0278. | ||||||||||||||||||
