Exhibition "The Art of Gold, 3000 Years of Chinese Treasures" (Hong Kong)

In the words of the collectors: “Since gold personal ornaments in ancient times were adornments for status and rank, and were regarded as treasures of the imperial court and nobility, they were immaculate examples of metalsmithing and craftsmanship, artistic design and creative applications. And through our collection of gold ornaments, we learn more about the historical splendor of Chinese material culture which enriches our experience in academic pursuit and art appreciation.”

The result of meticulous connoisseurship, as well as passionate collecting, the prestigious Mengdiexuan collection toured museums from Denver to London and China to the Art Museum of the Chinese University, in Hong Kong in six solos shows over the past 30 years. Each instance has been an opportunity for the collectors to “open channels for interdisciplinary collaborations in the area of literary and technical studies, archaeology, art history and the history of cultural exchange, using a close study of the artifacts in [their] collection as the springboard. L’ÉCOLE is presenting these sumptuous pieces of jewelry from a completely original angle, focusing for the first time on the goldsmithing craftsmanship. Four major techniques are highlighted: first, hammering-chasing, then casting, followed by wire filigree and finally granulation. The pieces show the mastery of craftsmen from ancient nomadic tribes to the Qing dynasty and throughout regions.