The Making of a National Treasure: Select Masterpieces of Painting and Calligraphy in the Museum Collection
According to the definition given by the ROC鈥檚 Ministry of Culture in its 鈥淐ultural Heritage Preservation Act,鈥� the works of painting and calligraphy in the collection of the National Palace Museum belong to the category of 鈥淗istoric Artifacts (Antiquities).鈥� This means they are art objects with cultural importance representing the work of particular groups of people from certain periods of time over the course of history. These objects are further divided and classified into three groups, from the most important one of 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� to that of 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts (Significant Antiquities)鈥� and finally 鈥淕eneral Historic Artifacts (General Antiquities).鈥�
The task of ranking artifacts begins with the departments of each public institution in charge of their care. By the end of 2005, the National Palace Museum had already completed the initial classification of artifacts in its large collection. Afterwards, beginning in 2008, members of the Review Committee for Historic Artifacts at the Council for Cultural Affairs (the forerunner of the Ministry of Culture) worked in conjunction with painting and calligraphy exhibitions at the National Palace Museum to conduct inspections and written reviews confirming the works ranked as 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� and 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts,鈥� thereafter publicizing the results. As of July 2017, a total of 184 鈥淣ational Treasure鈥� works/sets and 352 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifact鈥� works/sets in the category of painting and calligraphy have been approved and declared.
The goal of organizing 鈥淭he Making of a National Treasure鈥� is with the hope, by exhibiting and interpreting masterpieces of painting and calligraphy in the National Palace Museum collection, to promote a better understanding of the purpose and results in classifying these historic artifacts. This exhibition features a selection of 45 works of painting and calligraphy, of which 33 are 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� and twelve are 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts.鈥� Many of these works, by some of the greatest artists over the ages, are renowned in the annals of Chinese art history.
Twenty of the works included herein are further categorized by the National Palace Museum as 鈥渞estricted,鈥� meaning they can only be displayed for a short period of time. These 鈥渞estricted鈥� works have therefore been divided into two rotations, the first one from October 4 to November 14 and the second from November 15 to December 25. Such a major presentation of masterpieces makes for an event not to be missed. All audiences are encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity and appreciate the beauty and significance of these national treasures in further detail.
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According to the definition given by the ROC鈥檚 Ministry of Culture in its 鈥淐ultural Heritage Preservation Act,鈥� the works of painting and calligraphy in the collection of the National Palace Museum belong to the category of 鈥淗istoric Artifacts (Antiquities).鈥� This means they are art objects with cultural importance representing the work of particular groups of people from certain periods of time over the course of history. These objects are further divided and classified into three groups, from the most important one of 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� to that of 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts (Significant Antiquities)鈥� and finally 鈥淕eneral Historic Artifacts (General Antiquities).鈥�
The task of ranking artifacts begins with the departments of each public institution in charge of their care. By the end of 2005, the National Palace Museum had already completed the initial classification of artifacts in its large collection. Afterwards, beginning in 2008, members of the Review Committee for Historic Artifacts at the Council for Cultural Affairs (the forerunner of the Ministry of Culture) worked in conjunction with painting and calligraphy exhibitions at the National Palace Museum to conduct inspections and written reviews confirming the works ranked as 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� and 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts,鈥� thereafter publicizing the results. As of July 2017, a total of 184 鈥淣ational Treasure鈥� works/sets and 352 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifact鈥� works/sets in the category of painting and calligraphy have been approved and declared.
The goal of organizing 鈥淭he Making of a National Treasure鈥� is with the hope, by exhibiting and interpreting masterpieces of painting and calligraphy in the National Palace Museum collection, to promote a better understanding of the purpose and results in classifying these historic artifacts. This exhibition features a selection of 45 works of painting and calligraphy, of which 33 are 鈥淣ational Treasures鈥� and twelve are 鈥淪ignificant Historic Artifacts.鈥� Many of these works, by some of the greatest artists over the ages, are renowned in the annals of Chinese art history.
Twenty of the works included herein are further categorized by the National Palace Museum as 鈥渞estricted,鈥� meaning they can only be displayed for a short period of time. These 鈥渞estricted鈥� works have therefore been divided into two rotations, the first one from October 4 to November 14 and the second from November 15 to December 25. Such a major presentation of masterpieces makes for an event not to be missed. All audiences are encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity and appreciate the beauty and significance of these national treasures in further detail.
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