A British Museum Spotlight Loan: A Ming Emperor’s seat

A British Museum Spotlight Loan: A Ming Emperor’s seat
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

When: 10 August 2021 to 21 November 2021
Where: World Cultures gallery
Time: 10am - 5pm
Cost: N/A
Suitable for: Any age

A Ming Emperor’s seat is a beautiful glazed blue and white garden seat dating from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The seat was made for the court of the Wanli Emperor, one of the longest reigning of all the Ming dynasty emperors. Crafted in Jingdezhen, the seat features blue dragons surrounded by clouds, waves and a flaming pearl.

The loan celebrates the tenth anniversary of the arrival of the Sir Percival David Collection at the British Museum. Sir Percival David (1892-1964) built up the collection of 1,700 objects between 1914 and 1960, and it is considered to be one of the finest collections of Chinese ceramics in the world.

RAMM is delighted to display the seat as part of the British Museum’s National Programmes, marking the first time that the seat has been loaned to other museums in the UK.

Supported by Sir Percival David Foundation.

Image credit:
Side view, large hollow blue and white porcelain garden seat, Jingdezhen, 1573–1620 (detail)
© The Trustees of the British Museum lent by kind permission of the Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation

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