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The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is renowned for its collection of Chinese art and artifacts. Collection strengths include late-Imperial art of the Qing dynasty. Holdings are highlighted by jade objects, hanging scrolls and hand scroll paintings from the fifteenth through the twentieth century, ceramics, and two Qing dynasty Imperial thrones from the Forbidden City in Beijing. According to John Vollmer, textile scholar and former curator at the Royal Ontario Museum, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art also houses “one of the most significant public collections of Chinese costumes in North America.”
New Soreng Gallery for Chinese Art Now on View
Status and Authority in Imperial China
When the museum opened in 1932, its grandest gallery was quickly nicknamed “the throne room” in honor of the two Chinese throne sets that faced each other from opposite ends of the room. One of these magnificent sets is again installed in what is now named the Soreng Gallery, surrounded by many of the same objects originally selected by Gertrude Bass Warner to evoke the splendors of the imperial court, and by many new additions to the collection, as well.
The goal of this installation is to help visitors better understand the complex ways in which status and authority were embodied and projected in imperial China. A highlight of the room is a modern interpretation of a traditional Chinese “treasure wall,” featuring a staggering array of decorative objects in jade, glass, bronze, and ceramic. Other displays include a rich selection of court garments (drawn from one of the premier collections in North America) and accessories; ritual objects associated with Confucianism Buddhism, and Daoism; and architectural elements from the Forbidden City.
Now on View
One Hundred Children at Play
Gertrude Bass Warner, the donor of the original Asian collection at JSMA, possessed a profound interest in women’s clothing such as the new pieces on display at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. “One Hundred Children at Play” is a newer title for the works of art depicted on these decorated garments and accessories. Prior to the 20th century, the Chinese used the title, “One Hundred Sons at Play.” It is likely that these coats were women’s bridal garments, as the Chinese frequently used the one hundred sons theme as a wish for continued generations.
The textiles on display in Soreng Gallery Throne Room feature many children’s activities and the interactive labels (Can you find two boys talking before a pomegranate?) encourage visitors to spend time perusing each garment to answer a series of clues. Special thanks to Hattie Mae Nixon for preparing this exhibit with the JSMA staff.