Made in China

Author: Jessie Kissinger

On Friday, Sept. 12, the Middlebury College Museum of Art was packed with people eager to see the museum's newest exhibit. Entitled "Artist and Ancestors: Masterworks of Chinese Classical Painting and Ancient Ritual Bronzes," its name is no exaggeration, as it includes pieces that have been displayed at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Palace Museum.

"You won't find better anywhere," said Colin Mackenzie, the Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art. "Any museum would gladly accept any of these pieces."

"The collection demonstrates enormous variety," added John Berninghausen, Truscott Professor of Chinese. "The earliest painting is from the 13th century and the latest is from 1631."

An anonymous private collector furnished the exhibit. He began buying paintings 25 years ago - his first purchase was a Zheng Zhong hand scroll - before gravitating toward bronzes as paintings became less readily available. Robert Youngman is a family friend of the collector who introduced the collector to Mackenzie. Following this introduction, Mackenzie worked with the collector to plan the exhibit. Several pieces in the collection have been displayed individually, but this is the first time that a large portion of the collection has been shown together.

In his lecture entitled "Nature Contemplated, Beauty Released: Bamboo and Blossom, Landscape and Legend in 13th- to 17th-century Chinese Painting," Berninghausen guided those in attendance in a roaming lecture, moving around the room and directing people from piece to piece. He began his talk by pulling two Chinese writing brushes from his pocket and holding them up for his audience to see, explaining that when held by a skilled craftsman, these simple tools could execute the most intricate artistry. He then proceeded to point to various works, providing insights into and anecdotes about the work of the different artists.

Many of the pieces join together what are known as "the three perfections," specifically poetry, calligraphy and painting. Nature serves as an unending source of inspiration for these painters. Their landscapes exemplify Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism by capturing nature's majestic and humbling powers. Mackenzie explained that most of the works were painted as "exercises of introspection, not originally intended to be hung on a wall for a long period of time." Berninghausen elaborated that the landscapes are loosely based on "real topography" but born out of the painter's imagination.

Berninghausen described the paintings as "highly realistic without attempting illusionary realism" and went on to attribute this style to the artists' skillful use of brush strokes and delicate color schemes. During the talk he pointed to a work by Wu Zhen, renowned for his mastery in bamboo painting, to illustrate the power of minimalist brush strokes.

Another gem is "The Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute," painted by Qui Ying with calligraphy by Wen Pen. It is an 18-paneled hand scroll from the mid-16th century, fully displayed in one of the longest display cases in the world. There are only four other comparable scrolls worldwide.

Though Berninghausen's lecture focused on paintings, ancient bronzes make up a significant part of the exhibit. Mackenzie noted that this exhibit is particularly unique because it displays paintings and bronzes together, something rarely done by curators. Mackenzie pointed with particular pride to a "You," or wine bucket. "What distinguishes this piece," he explained, "is its multi-layer relief decoration." The exhibit also hosts a bell set, comprised of seven bells - one of the most valuable sets of its kind in America.

With all of these coveted pieces, the experts at the museum cannot help but get excited over this exhibit. Berninghausen emphasized that the exhibit includes "some really exciting and rare old Chinese paintings, [that are] actually quite beautiful in a variety of styles and themes."

"This is the best exhibit of its type that will come to Vermont for at least another twenty years," added Mackenzie.

"Artist and Ancestors: Masterworks of Chinese Classical Painting and Ancient Ritual Bronzes" will close on Dec. 7. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Group tours conducted by Middlebury students are available.