An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
The Exalted Emperors and The Gods of the Five Directions16th century
ten standing figures, each holding a fan (?) except two figures at top- one holds a scroll, other holds staff; green and blue ground; gold frame; glazed with plexiglass
86 x 41 1/8 in. (218.44 x 104.46 cm) (image, sight)
90 x 45 1/16 in. (228.6 x 114.46 cm) (outer frame)
Ink, colors, and gold on silk
China
16th century
The Ruth Ann Dayton Chinese Room Endowment Fund
In a tranquil moment, you find yourself gazing at an ancient scroll unfurled before you. Its delicate edges flutter softly in an unseen breeze, beckoning you closer. As your eyes drift across its surface, they land upon intricate figures rendered in careful detail. Here, two exalted emperors are immortalized—the powerful Tufu, god of the earth, crowned in his regal finery, alongside the celestial Gods of the Five Directions.
Each figure is adorned in opulent court robes that shimmer lightly in the ambient light, their hats perched with formal elegance, signaling their high status. The scene captures a harmonious descent from the heavens—a divine procession steeped in perfect Confucian decorum, where order and grace reign supreme.
You can almost hear the soft whispers of history echoing around you, tales of reverence and authority mingling with the air, invoking a sense of peace as you absorb the weight of tradition carried within each stroke of the brush. As you look deeper, the scroll enfolds you, inviting reflection on the celestial and earthly realms, and the balance they strive to maintain together.
About the artist
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