ju s t o u t ▼ a u g u s t 2 , 1 9 9 0 ▼ 21
r "
celebration of cultural diversity has
dominated the local art scene all
spring and summer, and as the Port
land Art Museum’s stunning “Impe
rial Tombs O f China” moves into its
last six weeks, box office attendance is expected
to explode, with procrastinators and return visi
tors turning out in record numbers. The exhibit
continues through Sept. 15.
Museum officials expect more than a quarter
A
¡sud l
of a million visitors by the time the show shut
ters. Portland is the only West Coast city hosting
the exhibit. Visitors from the Pacific Northwest
and California are making strong attendance
impact at the museum’s box office.
The landmark exhibition of Chinese tomb
treasures and royal artifacts spans 25 centuries.
It is the largest exhibition of China’s ancient
underground tombs to visit the United States,most
of the objects having been unearthed only in the
last 25 years.
For Portland art lovers interested in a world-
Phoenix/Dragon Crown, Ming dynasty
W
CORINTHIAN
RUG COMPANY
BB S EH
jS
S Corinthian Rug Company
I M l will work with you to
design
an
Exquisite
Handcrafted Rug. Our
skilled artisans will make your
ideas come alive! Please call for
more information on pricing,
products and possibilities.
F inale
for I mperial
T ombs
Time is running out for extraordinary exhibit
at Portland Art Museum
by Christopher Kamera
class exhibition, “Imperial Tombs of China” is
certainly a “must see.” The exhibit is truly a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As fascinating
as they are in themselves, the impressive
bronzes, the incredible jade works, the impos
ing terra cotta warriors reflect a culture all but
unknown and little understood in the Western
world.
The Portland Art Museum has transformed
its multiple galleries into mini-tombs. Stylized
doorways unify the exhibition and guide the
viewer into a display of incredible treasures. The
much-publicized display of terra cotta figures
from the Tomb of Qin Shi-huang-di is awash in
reflected sunlight, showing the four figures and
a life-sized pottery horse as they were placed
before burial. Other cities’ exhibits of the pot
tery figures have often shown them emerging
from darkness after centu
ries of burial. In Portland,
the five figures stand
against a pair of towering
stone columns with a photo
mural in the background
showing part of the 8,000
terra cotta figures u n
earthed in this spectacular
tomb. The gentle taupe
color of the gallery creates
a perfect setting for these
noble figures, giving them
a relaxed, meditative ap
pearance.
Each mini-tomb is the
matically structured, often
by the source of the major
objects or by the general
dynasty or time period. The
show tumbles over with
highlights: a gilt-bronze
pagoda on a stone base
from the Ming Dynasty; the
12 animals of the horo
scope from the Tang Dy
nasty; a gilded silver crown
with dragons from the Liao
Dynasty; Qing Dynasty
banners and parasols with
feathers and furs for the
palace honor guards; a Han
Dynasty pottery tower with
52 figures including a rare
Chinese display of nude men
and women, clothed figures
and mythical beasts; a Ming
dragon-and-phoenix crown,
silver chargers, painted fig
ures, incredible scrolls, a gilt-
silver burial mask— the list
goes on.
While most visitors favor
the 2,000-piece jade burial suit
sewn with golden threads or
the mammoth display of 16
bronze bells or the 1761 Impe
rial Throne Room from the
Qing Dynasty, this visitor’s
favorite is a small gold wine
tasting cup from the Tang dy
nasty. The miniature marvel,
about the size of a coffee cup,
is solid gold with a bold de
sign of a pair of stylized Chi
nese lions and flower blos
soms. In a spectacular exhibit
of more than 250 objects, this
small treasure proves, once
again, that good things come
in small packages.
“Imperial Tombs of China”
continues daily through Sept.
15. It opens at 9 a.m. and
continues until 10 p.m. with
the last entrance at 8:15 p.m.
Ticket prices for adults are $ 13,
which include a 45-minute au
dio tour. Senior and students
rates are $ 11 and the youth
rate, 16 and under, is just $6.
Members’ rate is $7.50, and
special group rates are avail
able by calling information at
287-4761. Tickets may be pur
chased in advance at the Port
land Art Museum or at all
TicketMaster locations. While
entrance seemed easy to this
visitor without preplanning,
many art fans will want to
preorder. Tickets are sold for
a specific date with a limited
number of entries every 15
minutes. Phone orders are of
fered at 790-ARTS
Pottery figure, Quin dynasty
Let Me Earn Your Business...
When buying or selling real estate,
I represent your interestsl
• Experienced, Innovative, Up-to-Date
• Professional, Personal Attention
Call me today: 225-1115
cellular: 970-3801
e-mail: Buchert@teleport.com
0
1627 1 2» 1-MW6M9»
Portland, OR 97232 287-658?
Windermere
Cronin A Captan Realty Group, Inc.
503 - 225 - 1115 / 503 - 970-3801