Age of Empires : Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties

'an enthralling introduction to ancient culture' - Time Out

A beautiful book exploring the art of Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties

This catalogue accompanies The Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of Asian Art 2017 exhibition and is the first in-depth exploration of the artistic and cultural achievements of China's "classical" era - the four centuries from 221 B.C. to A.D. 200.

The Qin and Han dynasties were pivotal to Chinese history, ushering in its imperial age and establishing the social and cultural underpinnings of China as we know it today. Age of Empires: Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties is a study of this crucial period, featuring more than 160 objects that attest to its artistic and cultural flowering. The Qin saw the beginnings of the Great Wall and spectacular advances in the arts of war, expressed in the magnificent army of life-size terracotta warriors and horses, seven of which are reproduced here. The Han built on the successes of the Qin, the increasing wealth and refinement of the empire, reflected in dazzling bronze and lacquer vessels and sparkling ornaments of jade and gold. But of all the achievements of the Qin-Han era, the most significant is the emergence of a Chinese national identity, for it was during this time people across the empire began to see themselves as one.

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