Gold Ming | The splendors and beauties of Imperial China (14th – 17th centuries)

On the occasion of the “Gold Ming” exhibition at the Musée Guimet, this lecture focuses on the art of feminine adornment in China. During the reign of the Ming emperors (1368-1644), gold was used to make or adorn ceremonial objects (tableware and jewelry), and its use became widespread among the elite. Some of the finest pieces are set with gems from the maritime trade in the Indian Ocean - initiated by the Chinese emperor in the early 15th century. The exhibition is based on the exceptional collection of goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ wares from the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in Xi’an, a dazzling testimony to the splendor and refinement of the period. An opportunity to discover or rediscover what gold is: atom, metal and mineral! This encounter will take the form of a dialogue between Hélène Gascuel and Arnaud Bertrand, curators of the exhibition, and Lætitia Gilles-Guéry, gemologist and lecturer at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, the exhibition’s scientific partner. With Arnaud Bertrand, Curator in charge of the Ancient China and Korea sections at the Musée Guimet, co-curator of the “Gold Ming” exhibition Hélène Gascuel, Curator in charge of Chinese furniture and textiles at the Musée Guimet, co-curator of the “Gold Ming” exhibition, & Lætitia Gilles-Guéry, Gemologist and Lecturer at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts. Watch all our previous Online Conversations here: