CURRENT EXHIBITION

Noble Tombs at Mawangdui: Art and Life in the Changsha Kingdom (3rd Century BCE – 1st Century CE)

September 19, 2009—December 13, 2009

Originating from the Hunan Provincial Museum and organized by the China Institute in New York, this exhibition, traveling to the United Stated for the first time, highlights one of the most important archaeological excavations in China-- the unearthing of Mawangdui, the tomb of the first lady and family of the Changsha Kingdom (died 168 BC) in the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-8 AD).  The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will be the second and only west coast venue.  This exhibition will include some of the finest and among the earliest extant lacquers, silks, paintings, and written strips (early calligraphy/books). Through these various art works, the exhibition will also examine and reconstruct the art and culture of the Western Han dynasty, a formative period of Chinese culture and civilization, focusing on daily cuisine and drink, cosmetics and fashion, music and entertainment, healthcare and exercise, and the fascinating beliefs of the immortal world. The accompanying exhibition catalogue will be bilingual and published by the Hunan Provincial Museum.

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