Exploring the ritual significance of ancient Chinese bronzes, this exhibition sheds new light on innovations of form and ornamentation, and the advanced techniques of casting of these stunning objects dating from the Shang to the Han Dynasties (1600 BCE to 220 CE). Bronze designs influenced other art forms in China, and later examples in jade, blue and white ceramics, and cloisonné will also be featured.
Admission to this exhibition is free, through August 31, 2020.
Hours
Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Photography
Photography of the exhibition without flash is permitted.
Preview Reception
Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 6–8 p.m.
Celebrate the new exhibition on view in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery.
Monthly Tours
Saturday, March 14, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 11, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 9, 3 p.m.
To schedule a group tour outside of these designated days, please fill out the form below or contact Jennifer Kapral, Director of Education & Outreach, at JKapral@AsiaSociety.org.
School Tours
School tours, facilitated by the education department staff and volunteers, provide educationally rich interactive opportunities for students to learn about Asian art, culture, and traditions. These free tours are open to all public, private, charter, alternative, and home schools. Visits take place on weekdays, Tuesday through Friday, for one to two hours.
All school tours and subsequent interactive projects are tethered to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and district curriculum standards. They may include:
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Docent-led tour of exhibitions in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery
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"Introduction to Asia” PowerPoint Presentation highlighting essential information about Asian art, culture, geography, and politics
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Guided tour of the Texas Center and discussion of its unique architecture
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Interactive projects based on the current exhibition (unavailable during summer months, June through August)
At least two weeks’ notice is required for school tours. Additional advance notice is required for groups larger than 25.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Kapral, Director of Education & Outreach, at JKapral@AsiaSociety.org.
HOUSTON, February 27, 2020 — Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) opens a new exhibition on February 29, featuring almost 100 pieces spanning over three millennia of ancient Chinese bronze artwork and later eras inspired by the Bronze Age. Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes showcases the artistry of hundreds of artisans and craftsmen whose creations were used in ancestral traditions and burial rites. The exhibition explores humanity’s universal desire to honor one’s ancestors and highlights some of the earliest examples of the artwork and methods developed for that purpose. Though today’s technology has devised many ways to honor loved ones, this exhibition demonstrates that the concept of honoring those who came before is inherent to the human experience.
The bronzes originate from 1600 BE to 220 CE and represent the largest, most prestigious collection ever seen in Texas. The exhibition also features digital media illustrating the process of casting the bronzes, widely considered to be among the most advanced metalwork before modern times. The objects on display include pots and other serving vessels, bells, spears, daggers, and mirrors. Many are intricately shaped like animals, such as a dragon, owl, water buffalo, and a horse. The ornamentation is even more impressive given that the molds were always destroyed as a by-product of the casting process, guaranteeing that each object was completely unique.
As in many cultures both ancient and modern, rituals and ceremonies honoring departed family members were a pivotal part of Chinese society. Ancestors’ names were often cast into the pieces, and some pieces chronicled specific events in their lives. Inscription styles and the level of detail evolved over the centuries, allowing the exhibition viewers to witness first-hand the evolution of an ancient art form that eventually reached across the globe.
A collection from the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the exhibition contains not just serving objects and animal shapes, but weapons and musical instruments too. Bells were an important part of rituals connecting the living to the dead, and music was a crucial a part of honoring the dead in ancient ceremonies, just like today’s funerals and religious services.
In addition to highlighting bronze artistry, the exhibition will put bronze objects side by side with later artworks influenced by the Bronze Age, such as jade, blue and white ceramics, and cloisonné.
Given the rarity of a collection this size, this is the only opportunity that will be offered anywhere in Texas for history buffs, art fans, and the public at large to see these works.
Fast Facts
- Exhibition dates: Saturday, February 29 – Sunday, August 9, 2020
- Admission: Free for Members and children ages 12 and under; $5 for Students and Seniors with ID; $8 for Nonmembers
- Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Related Programs
- Monthly docent-led tours on Saturday, March 14, and Saturday, April 11, 3 p.m. | Free for Members and children ages 12 and under, $5 for Students and Seniors, $8 for Nonmembers
Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes is organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Generous support for the exhibition and related catalogue provided by the Blakemore Foundation, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and Christie's.
Exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Nancy C. Allen and Leslie and Brad Bucher. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, and the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. Generous funding also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, Japan Foundation New York, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Wortham Foundation, Inc., the Franci Neely Foundation, Olive Jenney, Nanako and Dale Tingleaf, and Ann Wales. United Airlines is our official airline partner. Additional support comes from The Southmore. Funding is also provided through contributions from the Exhibitions Patron Circle, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional visual art to Asia Society Texas Center.
Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes is organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Generous support for the exhibition and related catalogue provided by the Blakemore Foundation, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and Christie's.
Exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Nancy C. Allen and Leslie and Brad Bucher. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, and the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. Generous funding is also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Wortham Foundation, Inc., Olive Jenney, and Ann Wales. Additional support for this exhibition was provided by the China General Chamber of Commerce–Houston and Stavis & Cohen Financial LLC. United Airlines is our official airline partner. Funding is also provided through contributions from the Exhibitions Patron Circle, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional visual art to Asia Society Texas Center.
Presenting Sponsors
Nancy C. Allen
Leslie and Brad Bucher
Chinhui Juhn and Edward Allen
Official Airline Sponsor
Program Sponsors
Plan Your Visit
1370 Southmore Blvd. Houston, TX 77004 713.496.9901
Exhibition admission is currently free! Learn about our health and safety measures as you plan your visit.
