Treasures Of China
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Good
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
Few civilizations have bequeathed to the world a legacy as breathtaking and diverse as that of China, and Treasures of China by Michael Ridley brings this magnificent heritage to vivid life. Spanning millennia of artistic achievement, the book presents an authoritative survey of China's most celebrated cultural artifacts — from the terracotta warriors of the Qin dynasty to the luminous porcelains of the Song and Ming periods — situating each piece within its rich historical and dynastic context. Ridley guides the reader through palace collections, imperial tombs, and sacred temples, illuminating how each object reflects the philosophical, spiritual, and political forces that shaped one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations. Written with the clarity of a seasoned scholar and the enthusiasm of a passionate collector, Treasures of China argues compellingly that Chinese art is not merely decorative but a profound language — one that chronicles the ambitions of emperors, the devotion of artisans, and the enduring soul of a nation. Ridley's prose is both accessible and erudite, making the work an indispensable reference for collectors, historians, and armchair travelers alike. For anyone who has ever stood before a Tang dynasty horse or a Han jade burial suit and felt the pull of something ancient and unknowable, this volume holds the answers — and opens an entirely new set of questions.
Author: Michael Ridley
Format: Paperback
Genre: Asian history
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Good
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
Few civilizations have bequeathed to the world a legacy as breathtaking and diverse as that of China, and Treasures of China by Michael Ridley brings this magnificent heritage to vivid life. Spanning millennia of artistic achievement, the book presents an authoritative survey of China's most celebrated cultural artifacts — from the terracotta warriors of the Qin dynasty to the luminous porcelains of the Song and Ming periods — situating each piece within its rich historical and dynastic context. Ridley guides the reader through palace collections, imperial tombs, and sacred temples, illuminating how each object reflects the philosophical, spiritual, and political forces that shaped one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations. Written with the clarity of a seasoned scholar and the enthusiasm of a passionate collector, Treasures of China argues compellingly that Chinese art is not merely decorative but a profound language — one that chronicles the ambitions of emperors, the devotion of artisans, and the enduring soul of a nation. Ridley's prose is both accessible and erudite, making the work an indispensable reference for collectors, historians, and armchair travelers alike. For anyone who has ever stood before a Tang dynasty horse or a Han jade burial suit and felt the pull of something ancient and unknowable, this volume holds the answers — and opens an entirely new set of questions.