Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900

A reappraisal of the often-overlooked Chinese bronzes made from the twelfth through nineteenth centuries, demonstrating their profound impact on Chinese art and culture

Bronze vessels were the ultimate emblems of power in ancient China. Beginning in the twelfth century, their rediscovery as evidence of an earlier golden age led to a revival of bronze casting. This publication is the first comprehensive study of these later Chinese bronzes in archaic styles, which were commissioned by emperors and officials from the twelfth through the nineteenth centuries to assert political legitimacy and alignment with traditional values. Renowned scholar Pengliang Lu redresses the misconception that these works were mere imitations of the ancient vessels they emulated, demonstrating that they were in fact creative reinterpretations of antique shapes and decorative motifs that transformed functional objects into symbols of erudition and taste. Featuring nearly two hundred objects, many never before published--including ceremonial bells, incense burners, flower vases, ritual vessels, and writing utensils--Lu explores their cultural and political significance from the Song dynasty through the Qing dynasty and shows their enormous influence on Chinese art and culture.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Schedule:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
(March 4-September 28, 2025)

Shanghai Museum
(November 3, 2025-March 8, 2026)