Barbara Hepworth: Sculpture for a Modern World. Tate Britain, London

Tate Britain is showing an Exhibition on renown sculptor artist Barbara Hepworth from 24th June to 25th October, 2015.

Barbara Hepworth was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1903 and died in a fire at home in St Ives, Cornwall in 1975.  She had lived there for more than 30 years and become a leading figure in the colony of artists who lived and worked in St Ives.  Her work has become associated with the landscape and sea of Cornwall and is now held in many museums around the world. Her home and studio is now the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Scuplture Garden.  It is well worth visiting.

This exhibition explores her rise to international fame and collaboration with the painter Ben Nicholson.  They became lovers first and later married when she divorced her first husband, the sculptor John Skeaping. The exhibition includes early pieces of carving by Hepworth and other peers.  One of my favourites was two doves carved from stone.  The doves and the stone each complemented the other. You also see photos of Hepworth and Nicholson together in their home studio.  Pieces you see in the photos are on exhibit in the show. The show closes with a room set-up as the Reitveld Pavillion at the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Netherlands.

To see more permanent works on display in the UK, visit The Hepworth Wakefield, an art gallery set up in Barbara Hepworth's home town.

The Tate Britain exhibition is a real pleasure to visit and the works on display are exceptional.

Visitmuseums.com, art exhibitions contributing writer, David Onslow

Hotels in London

25 Facts about the Sistine Chapel

25 Facts about the Sistine Chapel

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most famous frescoes in the world and unsurprisingly it’s one of Rome’s most visited and valued historic sites. Set within the VaticanCity and Museums, the Sistine Chapel welcomes around 25,000 visitors a day who flock to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece and marvel at the feat of artistry. As cameras are banned, it’s one to make sure you don’t forget!

Here are 25 fascinating facts about the Sistine Chapel to peak your interest, test your trivia knowledge and to give you all the more reason to go and visit this stunning attraction.

1. The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the chapel’s construction on the foundations of the original Capella Magna in 1477.
2. It was Pope Sixtus IV who invested money into building the chapel and some draw similarities between its new layout and that of the Temple of Solomon described in the Old Testament.
3. Before work started on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508, it had been decorated with a fresco of a blue night sky with golden stars, painted by the Umbrian artist Piero Matteo d’Amelia.
4. When Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he wasn’t very pleased, as his main artistic profession was to sculpt. It was with much displeasure that he undertook the role.
5. Michelangelo hated painting the ceiling so much that in 1509 he even wrote a poem lamenting to his friend Giovanni da Pistoia how he’d “grown a goiter from this torture”, due to the physical strain of the work.
6. Although many believe Michelangelo painted the ceiling lying on his back, he actually constructed his own scaffolding, so that he could paint standing up for more precision and control.
7. The whole area of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel measures about 1/6 of a football field – that’s around 12,000 square feet.
8. Don’t be fooled into thinking the only works of art on show in the Sistine Chapel are those by Michelangelo. You can also see frescoes and works by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, Cosimo Roselli and Sandro Botticelli.
9. It took Michelangelo four years to finish the fresco and he left God until last, wanting to have refined his technique enough to depict him perfectly.
10. The God Michelangelo painted as an older man with flowing grey hair inspired centuries of Christian paintings to come, later turning it into the archetypal representation of all Godly figures around the world.
11. The Last Judgement wasn’t actually painted in the same time as the great ceiling fresco. In fact Michelangelo returned twenty-two years later, in 1536, to begin his masterpiece on the wall above the altar.
12. It’s hard to believe that Michelangelo completed the entire ceiling without being able to review his piece as a whole, since the scaffolding remained in place right until the very end. This means that the first time Michelangelo saw his work, was the time it was unveiled!
13. Although the ceiling and frescoes are near-perfect, there is one tiny part of the sky in the panel depicting Noah’s escape which is missing, due to an explosion at a gunpowder depot in 1797 that caused the plaster to fall off.
14. There have been many analyses of The Last Judgement and the allegories and representations within the paintings. Some believe The Creation of Adam draws many parallels to the anatomy of the human brain due to the way it has been painted with the stem, frontal lobe and artery – which is reasonable given Michelangelo’s expertise in human anatomy.
15. Other interpretations include Saint Bartholomew holding the skin of a self-portrait of Michelangelo himself…
16. Among the things that couldn’t be misinterpreted were the nudes painted in the frescoes. In 1564, the Council of Trent deemed the images inappropriate and Daniele da Volterra was ordered to cover them up by painting fig leaves, clothing and other items to hide their indecency.
17. However, some of the drapes were removed to reveal the original painting during the big restoration efforts of the 1980s-1990s.
18. Another recurring motif is the acorns which populate the frescoes. This is a nod by Michelangelo to the patronage of Pope Sixtus IV, whose family name was Rovere – meaning oak, in Italian.
19. The Sistine Chapel is now a historic building of such acclaim that over five million people come to visit a year – that’s equal to the population of Norway!
20. It’s not only visitors who pay homage to the Sistine Chapel. It’s also the Pope’s private chapel, guaranteeing a few extra visits.
21. Come election time for a new Pope, the College of Cardinals meets at the Sistine Chapel – as they have done since 1492 – to submit their votes under oath.
22. The process is so intense that there’s even a room nicknamed the Room of Tears to represent the emotion the lucky chosen candidate will feel after winning the election.
23. It’s not just photos that are banned during visiting times to protect the colours from fading. During election time the College of Cardinals also has to be scanned for bugs before entering. There are 115 security checks in total!
24. If you have exposed shoulders or are wearing items of clothing that ends above the knee, you will be refused entry or asked to cover up within the Sistine Chapel. Visitors to this site should respect the code of conduct and dress appropriately.
25. The most dangerous thing about tourists visiting the Sistine Chapel is the damage not visible to the naked eye. The sweat, carbon dioxide and skin flakes of the five thousand visitors a day pose a threat to the restoration of the masterpiece. The creation of a humidity and temperature control machine is underway.

The Sistine Chapel will forever be one of Rome’s most popular places to visit thanks to the sheer scale of the masterpiece and the feat of exceptional artistry. Thanks to its location within Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel will remain protected and upheld by Papal traditions and forever considered one of the most important religious destinations in the world.

Produced by Omnia Vatican & Rome

Hotels in Rome for your visit

The Tudors – Musee du Luxembourg, Paris, 18th March – 19th July, 2015

The Tudors – Musee duLuxembourg, Paris, 18^th March – 19^th July, 2015

          If you are intending to go to Paris this is an exhibition that is well worth a visit and is also located in one of the prettiest gardens in the city, in the sixth district; next to the Senat. The exhibition looks back at the history of this very important era in English history and the legends associated with many of its rulers, be they kings or queens. The art and craftsmanship will take your breath away.

The Tudors reigned over England throughout the 16^th century and became some of the most important and famous rulers in English history. The founder of the dynasty was Henry VII and his rule put an end to thirty years of civil war. More importantly his marriage to Elizabeth of Lancaster united the two fighting houses – the Yorks and the Lancasters – establishing peace throughout the realm. At the beginning of the exhibition there is a square panel, created between 1550-1600, symbolising this union with the association of red and white roses and a well-known portrait of an aged but wise King Henry VII painted by a Welsh art guild. Of course Henry VII was also famous for being the father of one of the most flamboyant kings in English history; namely Henry VIII. The exhibition includes many striking portraits of this lion king, including an early portrait painted by the illustrious Joos Van Cleve. There is even a full armour, dating back to 1520, which he would have worn for the many tournaments he attended in the early part of his reign. Staring at it one really gets the sense of the strength and size – both physical and symbolical – of this flamboyant ruler. There is a wealth of information made available not only from paintings and art work but coins and books as well – many beautiful sixteenth century original books and manuscript are on display, in amazing condition. History comes alive as we, for example, read about a treaty made in Westminster between Henry and the French king, Francis 1^st, for the restitution of Boulogne. Details of Henry’s personal life and his many wives feature prominently – in fact one of the first paintings we see in the room was painted in 1835 and depicts one of Henry’s more unfortunate wives, Anne Boleyn, depicted in opulent misery in the Tower. Not surprisingly we learn that this painting is one of the most famous and influential paintings of its time and inspired a generation of artists. The private and public lives of the Tudors become enmeshed in history, and we see how many events in these ruler’s lives had huge effects throughout the kingdom – Henry VIII breaking away from the Catholic Church so as to marry Anne Boleyn being one of the most significant.

Splendid portraits of Edward VI and Mary 1^st are on display and of course the iconic and brilliant queen, Elizabeth 1^st is explored in great detail. A whole room is set up for this infamous daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who came to the throne in 1558 at the age of 25. During the long years of her reign the kingdom was not only restored to the church of England but it became a great maritime power and important literary centre. The paintings of this period in British history that are on view are amazing such as ‘The Armada portrait’ depicting a regal, passionate and stunning queen. One gets a real sense of history and of the glory of the Elizabethan era.

 Go and visit ‘The Tudors’ – it is a show you must not miss!

By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, VisitMuseums.com

Niki de Saint Phalle exhibition, Le Grand Palais, Paris

Niki de Saint Phalle exhibition, Le Grand Palais, Paris

Anyone who is a fan or admirer of this brilliant and prolific artist and sculptress, Niki de SaintPhalle- me included!- should go to this magnificent and eminent exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. The work of  Niki de Saint Phalle, 1930-2000, which is as broad as it is varied has not seen a retrospective for nearly twenty years. The show boasts at least 200 works of art gathered together, not least starting with her stunning ‘Tree of Life’ presented outside at the very entrance of the grand palais.

The exhibition minutely traces Saint Phalle’s career and life as she faced the very real challenges and choices demanded by her chosen vocation, art. We learn that Saint Phalle started painting as a way of battling with the depression that afflicted her from a very young age. In fact when she was a teenager she was placed in a psychiatric hospital, suffering from a type of schizophrenia and it was only through painting that she could control her illness.  Hearts”, is one of the first works on display and it affirms both her commitment to art and the challenges it presented to her. For example Saint Phalle felt it necessary to leave her husband and two small children in order to devote herself entirely to art. Throughout her work we see how she is continually reconciling chaos and violence – often within herself – with playfulness and a joie de vivre. Her slightly grotesque and momentous piece called, ‘Crucifixion and L’Eto’ – a large mural sculpture of a tortured, buxom woman with no arms, showing her pubic hair by spreading her legs in pink suspenders and a minute head is formidable. We see how she plays with different textiles and objects, often covering her pieces with felt objects such as flowers, dolls and teddies and fabrics. Similarly Saint Phalle uses grimacing masks and skulls to represent life and death. The woman displayed can either be seen as a prostitute or a mother, a victim or a warrior. Saint Phalle is questioning the role of women in society and in religious history. So she is playing with the idea that women are both victims of the feminine condition as well as heroines and matriarchs of the new world. Throughout the exhibition are very interesting film clips of Saint Phalle herself as she tries to explain her views, her art and her passionate ideas on woman’s role in society. Perhaps one of the most important art works that catapulted her into the art world was her massive woman giving birth, called ‘Hon’ which she built in 1966 with the help of her lover and art companion Jean Tinguely. We learn from the film footage that inside the installation was a milk bar in the right breast, signifying a glorification of woman as mother as well as praying devourer and a call for a new world where women hold more power.

Saint Phalle’s formidable Nanas were a natural extension of her idea of a fertile goddess and mother. There is a huge collection of them in the exhibition – women often dancing and athletic, large – even giant – sometimes imposing, sometimes playful and sexy. There are never any thin Nanas.  The Nanas carried her hope for a new world where women would have their rightful place and where femininity had no restraint. Saint Phalle wanted women to be free from the stereotypes imposed by fashion and social restraints. Her Nanas became symbols for feminine standard bearers and for female civil rights. They were the warriors in the feminist battle that Saint Phalle was one of the first to lead in the world of art. The trio of black Nanas on display who are all dancing in a circle is magnificent; the colour, power and movement of the women is incredible. Moreover since they are physically moving round their bodies catch the lights and so there is a bright kaleidoscope of colour. We learn interesting facts – such as, for example, that the Nana’s heads are so small in comparison to their bodies because she is expressing the view that the scientific mind is killing society and that women can be independent from men in a new world of joy. The exhibition focuses on each aspect of Saint Phalle’s artistic career and in depth. Her  work called ‘Tea at Angelina’s’ is a powerful study on the theme of devouring and predatory mothers and the dark side of motherhood. Here the Nanas are grotesque, unsightly and large and not presented as joyous in any way.  Saint Phalle herself had a difficult relationship with her mother who often criticised her work, ideas and art. These ideas are also expressed in ‘La Toilette’, created in 1977, where Saint Phalle is expressing her need to rely on herself alone and not on other people’s opinions.

There is an enormous section of the room devoted to Saint Phalle’s ‘shooting’ phase or her ‘Tir’ development. Here we see her filming herself and other artists shooting at objects and pockets of colour incorporated into plaster fixed on a board shooting target range. The sense that she is physically and literally channeling her rage and emotion onto an art form that explodes in front of us is exciting. Her work, ‘King Kong’ is on display – her most accomplished shooting painting as it is 6 metres long and follows the footsteps of Picasso’s Guernica. For me the highlight of the show is the film footage of the Tarot Garden which Saint Phalle created in 1978 – her stunning garden of habitable sculptures inspired by the Tarot and created by her talent, forceful imagination and hard work. There is a whole room replicating each of the works of art that Saint Phalle produced in life size in the garden and you can delight in each and every one of them up close – for example The High Priest and The Sun.

I strongly recommend any art lover to go and revel in this magnificent show! 

Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, Visitmuseums.com

Hotels in Paris for your visit

Paul Durand-Ruel: The Impressionist gamble, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Musee du Luxembourg, Paris

Paul Durand-Ruel : The Impressionist gamble, Manet, Monet, Renoir.., Musee du Luxembourg, Paris, until 8th February 2015

The Musee du Luxembourg is hosting one of the most impressive collections of Impressionist works of art to date by the innovative art dealer Paul Durand Ruel, (1831-1922). Outside of his work as a flamboyant gallery owner Durant-Ruel assembled a personal collection of remarkable and outstanding paintings which he exhibited in his apartment at 35 Rue de Rome in Paris.

            The show opens with a colourful and masterful painting of one of Durant-Ruel’s sons by Renoir. Durant-Ruel had five children and was a devoted father and husband and he commissioned paintings of himself and all of his five children. On the death of his father in 1865 he took over the gallery and moved it to 16 rue Laffitte. The first painters he met were Pissarro and Monet and he bought many of their works. One such painting is Monet’s picture of the Thames at the bottom of Westminster, which portrays a river scene with a grey, murky river and yellow tint to the sky. Durant - Ruel took a huge gamble in 1864 and he bought 23 of Monet’s paintings despite the public ridiculing him; it turned out to be very profitable for him. One of these is a stunning painting called ‘The Reader’ which Monet painted in 1876 and which portrays his wife, Camille, seated on the grass underneath the lilac tree in the garden of their house in Argenteuil.  It is a simplistic, natural scene; we see that she is sheltering from the sun in a stunning white and pink dress. The portrait is a mixture of rounded flesh but there is also a doll like quality to her. The real subject of the painting however is light as we see Monet’s exquisite rendering of the sun and shade in this bucolic setting. Throughout the show are marvellous Monet landscapes; we see his famous ‘Effect of the wind’ which was a series of 23 stunning paintings of poplar trees where he is experimenting with changes of times, geometry and season.

            Paul Durant-Ruel also collected much of the French artist Berthe Morisot, a female artist who was also a prominent member of the Impressionist circle. One of the most beautiful paintings in the show in my opinion is Morisot’s, ‘Femme a sa toilette’ which she finished in 1879. It is a simple yet intimate portrait of the back of a lady’s head reflected by a mirror in her bathroom and which reflects her fine necklace and beautiful dress - it is as if we are voyeuristically entering into her private place. Moving onto Renoir and we see three of his most famous portraits; the dancers. These large colourful oil paintings featuring three couples dancing celebrate female beauty and feminine sensuality whilst also retaining a sense of grandeur and style. Renowned for his vibrant use of light and colour and for his portraits of people in intimate and candid settings Renoir was one of the most eminent members of the Impressionists and one of Ruel’s favourite artists.

            Paul Durant Ruel became a trend setter and the man who fed the appetites of vast private and public collections in Europe and the United States at the turn of the 20^th century. His great eye and penchant for risk taking made him a huge player in the artistic world during the early Nineteenth century and he became a champion of Impressionistic art. It is a great exhibition and very much worth seeing. 

By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, Visitmuseums.com

Hotels in Paris for your visit

Virginia Woolf; Art, Life and Vision, National Portrait Gallery

VirginiaWoolf; Art, Life and Vision, National Portrait Gallery, London until 26 October 2014

Virginia Woolf is undeniably one of the most accomplished and significant writers of this century whose influence can still be felt in contemporary writing today. This exhibition offers a detailed journey through all facets of Woolf’s private and public life, her work, relationships and vision. No stone is left unturned in an exhibition that includes some of Woolf’s first edition novels, diaries, letters and journals as well as paintings of the time, numerous photos, and unique objects such as her walking cane and her passport photo. It details The Hogarth Press which was a joint printing venture started by Virginia and Leonard Woolf which published not just her work but the work of great literary giants.

At the outset we are introduced to the effect of World War II on Woolf’s life as we see photos of her house, Tavistock Square – where she wrote some of her best works – in ruins. Photos of her old living room show decorative panels that were designed by her sister Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. There is an intimate black and white photo of Virginia and her husband, Leonard and their black spaniel; taken in 1939 by Gisele Freund – a German photographer who came to London on James Joyce’s suggestion. Woolf was fascinated by her childhood and this become a strong literary undercurrent in many of her novels. We learn that both her parents – Leslie and Julia Stephen - were already widows before they married and the merge of the two families gave Virginia two half brothers and two half sisters. Leslie Stephen, Woolf’s father, had been an eminent man of letters and she and her siblings grew up in a very literate, articulate world in which there was contact with leading figures of the day such as Charles Darwin. Woolf spent her childhood with her family and servants in Hyde Park Gate, London but her father also leased out a house in Cornwall for twelve years, called Talland House, in which they would all spend three to four months a year. It had a profound influence on Woolf’s writing and was the subject of one of her most famous novels, called ‘To the Lighthouse’, written in 1927.

The exhibition is dotted with interesting photos such as a stunning photo of Woolf’s mother, Julia Stephen and Adrian, her last child, taken by G.C, Beresford.  Another photographer of the era was Woolf’s aunt, Julia Cameron, whom she was very proud of and who took many photos of her. There is a photo album of Monk’s House on display and an excerpt from the Hyde Park Gate News, number 8, volume 5 which was the literary combined effort of Woolf and her siblings when they were children. One of my favourite photos is a black and white one of Virginia, and her sister Vanessa, playing cricket together in St Ives in 1894 wearing full length dresses. You can see their innocent comraderie and closeness. Letters between Leonard and Virginia are particularly sweet and we learn how deeply Leonard responded to Virginia’s beauty. In fact Leonard gave up a significant career as colonial administrator to be with Virginia. Likewise we are given an insight into Woolf’s domestic life as we see a photo of Sophie Farrell – one of Virginia’s cooks - who spent all her life with the Stephens or Duckworths and who had a lifelong fondness for Virginia. There are some stunning paintings of Virginia and her contemporaries such as Duncan’s Grant’s painting of her and of her brother, Adrian. Interestingly we learn that Adrian, although not particularly close to his eldest sister, was to become one of the first psychoanalyst in Great Britain. Similarly there are some beautiful and colourful paintings that Vanessa Bell finished of her sister, one in 1912 and one in which she figures called ‘The Conversation’ and of contemporary artists of the time.

There are intimate insights into Woolf’s private life like the letter where Leonard describes to Violet Dickinson Virginia’s breakdown in 1915, “Things are very bad. She hasn’t had a night’s sleep in the last 60 hours..” Likewise there is an amusing letter from Lytton Strachey to his brother James detailing his proposal of marriage to Virginia which he withdrew the following day! In 1924 the Woolfs moved back to Tavistock Square with the Hogarth Press and it was here that Virginia produced work that was to define her as one of the foremost modernist writers of the twentieth century. She loved London with all its intellectual stimulation and multi sensory nature and finished some of her most renowned works here. Woolf wrote ‘Mrs Dalloway’, ‘To the Lighthouse’, ‘Orlando’, ‘A room of One’s Own’, ‘Waves’, and ‘Flush’ all between 1925 to 1933 which all figure in the exhibition. These books were not only literary gems but cut across class, education and nationality. You can even see a copy of Hitler’s Black Book which detailed a list of people who were to be taken in ‘protective custody’ following the invasion of Britain and in which both Virginia and Leonard Woolf were listed.

This exhibition is not only for Woolf lovers but anyone who is interested in this period of British history and is certainly not to be missed.
By Larissa Woolf, Editor Visitmuseums.com

Hotels in London for your visit

Ming: Fifty Years that Changed China, 1400 – 1450: The British Museum, London

Ming: Fifty Years that Changed China, 1400 – 1450:  The British Museum, London

            This exhibition provides a comprehensive picture of China as it was in the fifteenth century when it was a global superpower ruled by one family - the Ming family – during the years 1400 to 1450. It was a dynasty that ruled through a vast network of courts; the most famous being the Forbidden City in Beijing; and that was to transform the country. The exhibition is a multimedia guided tour and features priceless and opulent works of art, decorative art and literature never before seen outside of China.

As you begin there is an interesting four minute film explaining the background and subject of the exhibition. We learn that China was the largest state in the world and boasted a population of 85 million with a sophisticated civil bureaucracy. The Ming dynasty comprised of five rulers who spanned three centuries and the founder selected the word ‘Ming’, meaning brightness, to represent his era. The emperors commissioned amazing crafts, art, decorative arts and literature. They had several wives and thus many offspring who they sent across the regional courts throughout China to help rule and represent the country. One of the first achievements of the Ming dynasty was that the first emperor, Xuande, moved the new capital from Nanjing to Beijing. The palace was completed in 1445 and acted as the centre of government as well as being the residence of the imperial family. We are introduced early on to the huge and beautiful hanging scrolls, the first being a picture of the Forbidden City and comprising 720 thousand square metres.

An important hanging scroll was the ‘Portrait of Daoyan’ which is in ink and colours on silk. It is the only surviving portrait of a Buddhist monk who became Emperor Yongle’s chief advisor on civil and military matters and who was his lifelong mentor. The emperors invested their princes with ornate silk robes, jewels and belts and jewellery for their wives. The Prince Zhuang jade belt that is on display is magnificent, comprising of 18 intricate and delicate individual plaques which would have been sewn onto the leather belt.  This was a symbol of prestige and power and was excavated from the Prince’s tomb, who was the 9^th son of emperor Yongle. Likewise the beautiful gold hair pins in the shape of a phoenix are astonishing and are one of the highlights of the show. The hair pins are made up of filigree fine metal threads all beautifully woven to look like a phoenix; the symbol of the empress. These were found together with gold arm bangles and bracelets of exquisite craftmanship. Throughout the show is an array of different objects such as lacquer boxes, Syrian glass flasks, gold basins, cloisonné jars and covers and blue and white porcelain vases. The deep red lacquer table desk with drawers is stunning and is the largest surviving piece of lacquer furniture from the Forbidden City. Lacquer was unique to China and made from the sap of trees on which were carved intricate and complex decorations. This table had designs portraying both the dragon and the phoenix, symbolising the emperor and the empress together in symbolic grandeur.

One interesting item is the early Ming sword and scabbard which is in ornate, intricate Tibetan style and which was commissioned by emperor Yongle who was a fantastic military leader. During the Ming dynasty China developed the largest armies in the world. There is a hauntingly beautiful hanging scroll called, “2 steeds under the shade of a willow tree” which depicts two white horses against a grey, brown background of foliage and trees. Horses were essential in warfare in Northern China and so equestrian art was very popular. The courts were also centres for culture, music, publishing and art and commissioned painters to create art work on silk and paper and murals for temples and palaces.

            One of the aspects of Ming art that had an important significance for Europe was its distinctive blue and white porcelain. Such porcelain was always blowy and windswept so as to portray carefreeness and the relaxed fun of the outdoors. The enormous wine jar on display has scenes of figures engaged in cultured pastimes. In the painting at the end of the show, ‘The Adoration of the Magi’, by the Italian Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna, we see how important porcelain was as it is one of the gifts given to the Christ baby by one of the Magi. It spurred many European workshops to try and make their own porcelain. We learn that there were many varying belief systems in China, including Buddhism, Daoism, Judaism and the Muslim faith as well as other individual cults. The emperors and princes published religious texts and lavishly illustrated books. You can see a magnificent painting called ‘Painting for the water and land ritual’, dated 1459, which is one of a set of 139 paintings that survived. It details the Buddhist ritual of bringing comfort to the souls of the deceased and shows a whole panorama of the universe including actors, entertainers, scribes and ordinary people. Towards the end of the show is a hanging scroll entitled ‘Tribute of giraffe with attendant’ which was given to the emperor by the Sultan of Bengal and signified heaven’s blessing on the dynasty. There was an elaborate tribute trade between the varying embassies of the world and gifts were accepted and given. This scroll marks the 600^th anniversary of its presentation!

The British Museum has put together a clever and detailed exhibition on a small period of Chinese history in all its glory and it is definitely worth a visit.

Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, Visitmuseums.com
Hotels in London for your visit