Exhibition Overview

This exhibition, a hallmark of cultural collaboration between the Palace Museum and the Macao Museum of Art, presents a magnificent collection of 163 sets of artifacts and images centered on imperial military culture and artistic representation. The centerpiece is the renowned scroll painting Grand Review (Deployment), offering a window into the grandeur of Qing Dynasty military ceremonies.

Key Highlights

• Grand Review (Deployment) Scroll: A masterpiece by court painter Jin Kun and others, completed in 1747. This over 17-meter-long scroll vividly depicts a corner of the massive military review held by the Qianlong Emperor in 1739, involving tens of thousands of soldiers from the Manchu, Mongol, and Han Banners.
• The Yongzheng Emperor's Diversions Album: A fascinating set of 14 album leaves portraying the Yongzheng Emperor in various imaginative guises—from a Persian warrior and a Turkic prince to a Taoist priest, a lama, a fisherman, and even a Western-suited tiger hunter wearing a wig. This series reflects extraordinary artistic imagination and the emperor's engagement with diverse cultures and ideologies.

Historical & Cultural Context

The exhibition underscores the Palace Museum's role as a treasure trove of Chinese civilization. It explores the artistic exchanges between East and West during the late Ming to early Qing period, corresponding to the European Baroque and Rococo eras. The presence of foreign missionaries and painters in the imperial court facilitated this cultural dialogue, as seen in artifacts like the polychrome porcelain figure of Louis XVI from the Kangxi period.

Practical Information

• Opening Ceremony: December 15, 2017 at 17:00
• Exhibition Period: December 16, 2017 – March 11, 2018
• Venue: Macao Museum of Art (MAM)
• Admission: Ticketed (Specific price information was not provided in the source)

Note: This exhibition was part of an annual series of Palace Museum exhibitions in Macao, a celebrated local cultural event that began in 1999.