Friday, September 4, 2015

China: Through the Looking Glass at The Met,
Part 4 -- Chinoiserie

Much of China: Through the Looking Glass exhibition (on view until September 7) is dispersed throughout The Met's second floor Chinese Art galleries. It became a bit of a treasure hunt, with the displays of garments tucked away amidst the antique objects. I enjoyed this part of the presentation -- the pairing of garments with ceramics, furniture, ancient statuary, and other items.

Yves Saint Laurent fall/winter 1977/78 collection and Opium perfume are featured in Gallery 210.
Sketches:

Yves Saint Laurent, fall/winter 1977/78 [not in catalogue]
Yves Saint Laurent, fall/winter 1977/78
Yves Saint Laurent, fall/winter 1977/78

Feng Langgong, Summer Palace, Folding screen of lacquered wood, gilded and painted 9.75 x 20 ft, 1690
Left to Right:
Valentino, fall/winter, 1990/91, Silk satin and organza embroidered with sequins, beads, and crystals
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, fall/winter 1996/97, Silk organza embroidered with sequins and beads
This McQueen gown, in Gallery 207, was paired with a sculpture from the Tang Dynasty (618-907):
Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, fall/winter 1997/98 [not in catalogue]
Gallery 208 was devoted to this gown by Guo Pei, with statues of Buddha rimming the space
Guo Pei, spring/summer 2007 [not in catalogue]
Tomorrow, I'll feature the Porcelain section of the exhibition, both with my sketches and photos.

Note: I relied on the exhibition catalogue China: Through the Looking Glass and The Met's website for information, especially the details about the garments. Selected images from the catalogue can be viewed on The Met's Pinterest board.