Imperial Treasures of Chinese Art

This art documentary takes us into the National Palace Museum in Taipei for a look at some of the priceless objects that make up this extraordinary collection covering 7,000 years of Chinese art. Volume 1, "Theme Tours," uses thematic viewing of objects, such as "Food Vessels and Cooking Ware," "Objects Representing the Living World," and "Ritual and Devotional Objects," to present items of interest in various categories. Volume 2, "Memories of Imperial Glory," shows objects in terms of medium and period. This volume included examples of painting, calligraphy, porcelain from the Song and Qing Dynasties, ritual bronzes from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, enamel ware (the collection has 1,800 pieces), jade from the Han and Six Dynasties, plus examples of decorative arts, such as carvings, curios and lacquer ware. This eye-popping two-volume set provides a good introduction to the National Palace collection while offering a tantalizing look at the incredible art objects that comprise the artistic legacy of China. Recommended. [Note: Also available, 6 CD-ROM titles, priced at $49.95 each: The National Palace Museum, National Treasures, A City of Cathay, Glories of Chinese Calligraphy, The Dragon in Chinese Art and The National Palace Museum Experience (a virtual reality, 3D-model tour). Aud: J, H, C, P. (P. Van Vleck)