The Met and Shanghai Museum unite to celebrate Chinese bronzes from across the ages, Mingmei Li reports in New York.
Forged from the same material yet shaped by different eras, the artifacts converge in a dialogue across millennia. From important bronzes to a selection of paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, lacquer and jade, the artifacts, though nearly 1,000 years old, are themselves tributes to even older masterpieces.
These fugu (return to the past) bronzes tell a story of tradition and innovation that spans the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as well as of the enduring global exchange and appreciation of bronze artistry.
In collaboration with the Shanghai Museum, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's new exhibition, Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900, is a record of the evolving artistry of Chinese bronze from the 12th to the 19th centuries. It weaves a narrative of craftsmanship, tradition and innovation, bringing to life the eternal elegance of these masterworks.
The ongoing exhibition kicked off last month. It will run until September before leaving for the Shanghai Museum, where it will continue from November until March 2026.
The Shanghai Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art collaborated on a new exhibition at The Met, showcasing Chinese bronzes, as well as a selection of paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, and lacquer and jade items. COURTESY OF THE MET
Good storytelling
"No single museum can fully tell the story of Chinese bronzes on its own, so we need more exchanges. China, the United States, and many other countries around the world have collections," Lu Pengliang, curator of Chinese Art at The Met, told China Daily.
The exhibition is divided into five thematic and chronological sections that detail over 200 pieces — some 100 from The Met collection, augmented by nearly 100 loans from major institutions in China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the US. The result is the most comprehensive narrative of the ongoing importance of bronze as an artistic medium throughout China's history.
Featured in the exhibition are 60 loans from institutions in China, including major pieces such as a monumental 12th-century bell embellished with an imperial procession from the Liaoning Provincial Museum, documented ritual bronzes used in Confucian temples from the Shanghai Museum, and luxury archaic-style vessels made in an 18th-century imperial workshop from the Palace Museum in Beijing.
As part of the curatorial process, Lu says that he has used many parallel displays, placing exhibits from The Met and the Shanghai Museum side by side, to allow visitors to fully understand the cultural narrative.
Incense burner in the shape of a goose, of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). COURTESY OF THE MET
For example, he points to three goose-shaped bronze incense burners from The Met, displayed alongside a Ming Dynasty painting by Chen Hongshou, Lady Reclining Over an Incense Cage, from the Shanghai Museum.
"This pairing vividly illustrates the refined lifestyle of the mid-17th century," Lu says. "By placing these pieces side by side, viewers first encounter the bronze incense burners shaped like ducks or geese.
"Through them, we can understand how they were used — observe the hollow interior and the space for burning incense, which was intricately designed in the form of a duck."
Incense burners in the shape of geese or ducks were among the most popular archaic designs from the Song Dynasty onward. Known as xiangya (incense ducks), they frequently appeared in literature that captured the elegance of the era.
Lu says that the Shanghai Museum's painting reveals how the incense ducks were depicted in art and in the cultural expressions of the time.
"Chinese poetry often mentions 'incense ducks'. But what exactly were they? By examining the physical artifacts preserved in The Met's collection, we can see how these references come to life, forming a dialogue between literature, painting and material culture.
"The collaboration between the Shanghai Museum and The Met has elevated the exhibition to new heights in both breadth and depth," Lu says, adding that together, the bronzes and artwork tell a comprehensive tale for visitors.
Another example, two apparently identical vases, actually highlights a form of cultural appreciation, according to Lu.
Upon closer inspection, one vase is revealed as a piece from the imperial workshop during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, and is made of parcel-gilt copper alloy and bears the Qianlong hallmark. The second, as indicated by the hallmark on its base, is a 19th-century French copy, produced by Parisian tableware makers.
"The latter was copied after the French collector bought the original back to Paris and invited artisans to see this inspiration from China," Lu says.
He adds that French companies were so inspired by the Chinese bronze that they made an exact, almost identical copy of the original, even down to the parcel building.
"This is the power of culture and the power of art. That's why I have placed these two pieces together, and you can see a really good combination," he explains.
A visitor takes a photo of a bronze artifact during the ongoing exhibition, Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900. [PHOTO BY MINGMEI LI/CHINA DAILY]
Recalling significance
This exhibition raises an important point about the way Chinese bronzes are perceived, Lu says.
"Traditionally, when we think of Chinese bronzes, we tend to associate them with the Shang (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c. 11th century-256 BC) dynasties. However, this time, we wanted to focus on the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing periods. A simultaneous presentation of these later periods offers a fresh academic perspective and exploration."
The exhibition unfolds through five sections of different themes, beginning with "Reconstructing Ancient Rites", which explores how emperors and scholar-officials (12th-16th centuries) commissioned bronzes to revive ancient ceremonies.
"Experimenting with Styles" (13th-15th centuries) highlights creative reinterpretations of form and function, while "Establishing New Standards" (15th-17th centuries) examines aesthetic and technical innovations. "Living with Bronzes" (16th-19th centuries), displayed in the Ming Furniture Room, illustrates their role in literati life. The fifth section, "Harmonizing with Antiquity" (18th-19th centuries), reveals how scholarly appreciation led to a final flourishing of bronze production.
"Bronzes were not just ritual vessels used in ancient times," Lu says.
"During the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, they became decorative objects in studios — incense burners, vases and even elegant desk ornaments. During the Qianlong era, the rise of epigraphy brought the collection and reproduction of bronzes to new heights."
Visitors at the exhibition. [PHOTO BY MINGMEI LI/CHINA DAILY]
This innovation connects China's culture to that of other countries.
"From the Song Dynasty onward, the revival of bronze craftsmanship was akin to the Renaissance in Europe. Bronzes from this period also influenced Japanese tea ceremonies and ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arranging). Many shogun (military rulers), daimyo (feudal lords) and emperors collected and used these artifacts," he says.
A striking bronze-themed banner hangs prominently at the main entrance of The Met. Lu says that he is proud that Chinese culture is on display at such an important American museum.
"Having Chinese culture on display at The Met, right in the heart of Fifth Avenue, is a powerful statement," he says, adding that he hopes "this global exhibition helps more people connect with and appreciate China's history and culture".
"More and more people in the US are showing interest in Chinese culture, and we see this as a great opportunity to deepen cultural understanding with China," he adds.
Max Hollein, director and CEO of The Met, says that "The Met has always been very closely connected with the appreciation and understanding of Chinese art and culture".
"There will definitely be more collaborations in the future, absolutely," he adds.
According to Hollein, the museum is taking a unique approach to Chinese bronzes, showcasing their artistic excellence from 1100 to 1900 and offering a fresh perspective to museumgoers.
"This exhibition is a prime example of partnership, friendship, and collegiality — working together as scholars and curators to develop an important exhibition," Hollein says. "It's a joint effort with the Shanghai Museum to bring together the best examples of Chinese bronzes, to celebrate their ingenuity, artistic excellence and reimagination."
For Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum, the collaboration with The Met reflects the longstanding friendship between the two institutions and is a practical exploration of curation.
"The planning of this exhibition is of great significance in promoting Chinese culture, particularly in highlighting late-period bronzes after the Song Dynasty, which present a unique curatorial perspective," Chu says.
The Met is known around the world for its role in the dissemination of Chinese art, Chu says, adding that museums play a crucial role in fostering cultural exchange.
"This collaboration marks the beginning of a new chapter in the long-term partnership between our two museums and will facilitate broader cultural exchanges with other cultural and art institutions worldwide," Chu says.
A twin dragon brush rest, vessel and crab-shaped bronze, from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). [PHOTO BY MINGMEI LI/CHINA DAILY]
In this exhibition, the Shanghai Museum, as a co-organizer, took the lead in coordinating the borrowing of Chinese exhibits from various domestic institutions, such as the Palace Museum, the Capital Museum, Liaoning Provincial Museum, Hebei Museum, Qinghai Provincial Museum and Fujian Museum. By doing so, it aimed to collectively showcase the value of Chinese culture overseas and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to deepen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
The ongoing exhibition at The Met appears to resonate with the trajectory of time.
In 1980, shortly after reform and opening-up began, a historic exhibition, The Great Bronze Age of China, was held at The Met. Co-presented by the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, it was the first large-scale display of Chinese bronze ware in a Western country since the founding of New China in 1949.
"After 45 years, we were once again back across the Pacific Ocean, gathering for the sake of Chinese cultural relics, Chinese culture and the cherished value of cultural heritage as the common wealth of humanity," said Luo Wenli, deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, referring to the 1980 exhibition, at the opening ceremony for the new exhibition.
"Over the past years, cultural exchanges between Chinese and American museums have flourished. We believe that through this special exhibition, American visitors will not only appreciate the treasures of China but also feel the vitality unleashed by the innovative development of traditional Chinese culture."
Luo says that the administration is willing to support further museum exchanges and cultural heritage cooperation between China and the US, and to continue to provide a platform to build bridges for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Wang Kaihao contributed to this story.
