The Secrets of the Forbidden City at Casa dei Carraresi Treviso from october 24th 2009 to may 9th 2010
The third exhibition dedicated to China will focus on the Forbidden City in Beijing, the fabulous palace built between 1406 and 1421 by Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty. A virtual visit will be made possible by a magnificent model in lime wood (on a scale of 1:200; occupying 40 sq. m.) accurately recreating every detail. 14 master craftsmen supervised by 3 architects have worked for 2 years to produce the model exclusively for the exhibition. The majority of the 350 exhibits come from the collections and the vaults of the imperial palaces. Precious jewels, magnificent silk robes, rare porcelain and objects from the everyday life of the imperial family will stand beside delicate paintings, golden statues, fine pieces of jade, rare textiles and beautifully worked furniture; all items of enormous historical and artistic value. A special section will be dedicated to Matteo Ricci, the famous Italian Jesuit, who at the beginning of the 17th century introduced western science to the court and brought Europe closer to the Chinese Empire. Rare documents, ancient texts and ingenious mechanisms for the study of astronomy from the Ricci collections in Macerata, (the native city of the great missionary) and from the Museum of Astronomy in Rome will be on display. |
