A conceptual portrait
One particular entry in that long list, though, is a poem entitled Grotesque Stones, written by the Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty in his own signature “slender gold” calligraphy style. “From his calligraphic works we can see his way of thinking, his literary talent, and his artistic skill,” says Xu. “To me, it’s practically a portrait of the man, and through it we can understand Emperor Huizong as a person better than from any ‘realistic’ portrait.”
Xu also mentions two other pieces: a Ru-ware vase of the Northern Song Dynasty with a poem by the Qing emperor Qianlong carved on the base, and a cup with a chicken design from the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (of a type of which another example fetched about NT$1.8 bn at auction by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April 2014). “I’ve personally always really liked the carved wooden plaque, inlaid with enamel, that bears the Qing emperor Yongzheng’s admonition to himself to ‘guard against haste and employ patience.’ Similarly, I appreciate this because it paints a picture of the emperor as a man.”
Xu also led the state governor around the exhibition. “Governor Brown was quite interested in the idea of these portraits of ancient Chinese rulers,” he says. Ancient emperors were symbols of authority, and ordinary people rarely had the chance to actually see them. The only way they could understand the emperor’s ideas and personality were through his poems, collections, inscriptions, and so on. More than any portrait, these pieces gave insight into the mind of the ruler.
Being exhibited in America for the first time is one of the NPM’s most prized possessions, the Meat-shaped Stone. Understood at a glance by most people, this piece is not only popular, but also inspiring.
The Asian Art Museum partnered with 13 top Bay Area restaurants to create unique Dongpo pork dishes for their menus, giving audiences the chance to not only see it, but also to eat it.