The Forbidden City comes to River City

Forbidden City is part of a groundbreaking exchange between the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace Museum in Beijing.

July 21, 2014; 6:00 AM • by Richard Hayes

Drawn from the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing, Forbidden City will offer visitors a unique journey through a palace once forbidden to the general public. Through rich and diverse artworks from the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, this fascinating exhibition provides a glimpse into a hidden world.

Forbidden City is part of a groundbreaking exchange between the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace Museum–a series of collaborative projects between 2010 and 2016 that include exhibition and staff exchange in the areas of administration, curatorship, conservation, education, and security. This exhibition represents two firsts for the VMFA. They’ll be the first art museum in the United States to establish such an extensive collaborative project with the Palace Museum in Beijing, and it’s the first time the VMFA will host an exhibition of Chinese art directly from China.

Featured works include large portraits, costumes, furniture, court paintings, religious sculptures, and fine decorative arts such as bronzes, lacquer ware, and jade. This exhibition explores the significant roles of imperial rituals, court painting, imperial family life, and religion in the Forbidden City.

Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures from the Palace Museum, Beijing is organized by the Palace Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition is curated by Li Jian, E. Rhodes, and Leona B. Carpenter Curator of East Asian Art at VMFA.

Buy your tickets today!