Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes From the Minneapolis Institute of Art

The exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art at Manhattan’s China Institute Gallery showcases one of the world’s greatest collections of ancient Chinese bronzes outside of China from a crucial period in the history of human civilization. Traveling from the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), extraordinary Bronze Age vessels for food and wine and imaginative animal sculptures are on view for the first time in New York City through July 13.

The emergence of the culture of bronze — an alloy of copper, tin, and lead — remains a crucial chapter in the history of human civilization. Although China was not the first country to enter the Bronze Age, its bronzes from this period are unique in world history because of their variety and intricacy, the ritual context in which they developed, and the sheer number that have been unearthed over the country’s vast territory. The people of Bronze Age China believed in the hierarchy of beings, from the heavens to the king to the royal courts to the people. They created their art to maintain this order on Earth and in the afterlife, making a wide range of bronze vessels to acknowledge the powers invested in those of high rank in ceremonies and sacrifices.

“Together, these creative artworks provide extraordinary clues about early humans in China including how they honored their ancestors, worshipped their deities, and prepared for the afterlife.”

—George S. Geh, CEO of China Institute in America

At China Institute Gallery, the more than 70 objects on view range from a wine vessel in the form of a double-owl from the Late Shang dynasty (12th century BCE) to a celestial horse sculpture from the Han dynasty (1st–2nd century CE). Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes was previously on view at Mia in the spring of 2024. 

“The Minneapolis Institute of Art’s collection of ancient Chinese bronzes is considered one of the finest in the United States. This exhibition provides viewers with a unique window into the extraordinary artistic creativity, masterful craftsmanship, and captivating belief systems of ancient China,” said Dr. Liu Yang, Chair of Asian Art and Curator of Chinese Art at Mia.

Eternal Offerings is organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art and curated by Dr. Liu Yang. 

To learn more and reserve tickets, visit chinainstitute.org.