“Splendor on the Walls: Hanging Screens from the Qing Imperial Palace” is organized by the Palace Museum, with full support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and exclusive sponsorship by the Institute of Philanthropy. The exhibition will be held at the exhibition hall of the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men) from July 6 to November 3, 2024.
Hanging screens are often hung on interior walls to decorate and embellish vertical spaces. The craftsmanship and aesthetic value of Qing Dynasty hanging screens are unprecedented, and these screens were widely used in the halls and pavilions of the imperial court. The Palace Museum now houses over 900 hanging screens from the Qing imperial palace, the largest collection of its kind, highlighting their significant role in interior decoration at that time. These screens are exquisitely crafted and rich in detail, embodying the finest craftsmanship of the Qing Dynasty. They have retained their brilliance despite the passage of time and are now available for all to appreciate.
The exhibition is divided into four sections, inviting visitors to closely observe and appreciate these masterpieces.
The “Picturesque Landscapes” section features hanging screens that depict scenes from the emperor’s southern inspection tours. These artworks showcase rolling mountains that create an immersive experience for visitors, making them feel as though they were stepping into an idealized, poetic world.
The “A Multitude of Lives” section includes hanging screens that portray various figures, from emperors to farmers, fishermen to scholars, foreign merchants to mythical immortals. Each figure is vividly depicted, evoking profound thoughts and imagination.
The landscapes captured in time in the hanging screens may remain unchanged, but the real world is constantly evolving. However, the aspirations and pursuits conveyed through the screens are timeless and enduring. The two sections upstairs offer visitors an entirely new experience.
The “Delightful Elegance” section contains hanging screens that convey emotions through detailed compositions of flowers and birds, filled with auspicious meanings. One of the hanging screens depicts birds feeding their young, subtly hinting at a deeper subtext.
“The Elegance of Brush and Ink” section focuses on the artistic endeavors of emperors of the Qing Dynasty during their leisure time. Only the finest works of calligraphy and painting were selected to be crafted into hanging screens and displayed in the halls. These creations reflect the emperors’ unwavering dedication to state affairs. A pair of screens on display carry characters using the mother-of-pearl inlaying technique too document significant military and state matters, serving as an enduring historical artifact for future generations.
This is the first exhibition themed on hanging screens from the Qing imperial palace. To help visitors better understand the artistic and cultural value of the Qing Dynasty hanging screens, the exhibition uses their themes as a thread and foregrounding their craftsmanship. It selects and displays over 60 representative hanging screens and related paintings and calligraphy. Highlights include the extraordinary “Gold-thread Woven Mountain Villa and Orchard,” a unique gold-thread kesi (silk tapestry) work, as well as the exquisitely crafted “Silver Inlaid Plum and Apricot” hanging screen. Reproductions of original paintings and calligraphy, such as the “Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Riding a Horse” and “Chicks Waiting to Be Fed,” reflect thoughts on preparing for danger in times of peace and on governing the country and its people. While primarily decorative, these screens also convey deeper meanings.
The design of the exhibition is distinctive, featuring an elegant, yet restrained style. Innovative spatial design and digital media technology have been used to highlight the artistic and historical significance of these hanging screens.
In terms of spatial design, the first and second floors of the exhibition hall are designed with the themes of “Country” and “Family,” respectively. The design uses “mirror screens” and “partition walls” to transport visitors to both expansive natural scenes and culturally significant environments. Additionally, the unique double-layer display walls allow visitors to closely appreciate the hanging screens. Through doors and windows, visitors can view a recreation of how the hanging screens were originally displayed inside the rooms of the Qing imperial palace. There is also a specific exhibition space showcasing an immersive scene from the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) using hanging screens.
Multiple multimedia screens in the exhibition hall provide information on the origins, craftsmanship, and display contexts of the hanging screens. Interactive screens offer visitors an engaging experience, allowing them to explore the ancient hanging screens’ artistic and cultural significance.
Throughout the exhibition, various “screen” elements, including hanging screens, multimedia screens, and mirror screens, are used to create an immersive experience. Standing in front of these screens is like looking through windows into the past. They allow visitors to feel as if they were conversing with people from ancient times. The exhibition aims to let everyone experience the charm of history through those exquisite ancient hanging screens.