Ming. The Golden Empire

The Ming Dynasty dominated China for 276 years. Between 1368 and 1644, 16 emperoros of the Zhu family governed a population that grew to some 175 million. Throughout this period, China enjoyed huge prosperity and gained fame in Europe as the supplier of luxury items and as a place full of mystery. The combination of richness and exterior influence created tensions in the heart of the Ming society that changed China forever.

With this exhibition, you'll have the chance to get to know the art and culture of this dynasty above and beyond the emblematic blue-and-white porcelain. You'll discover the great artistic, social and economic advances that defined the Ming dynasty as the golden empire in Chinese history. As the population grew, so did the development of a complex imperial system, the widening of social structures and an economic boom and the culture of consumption. The long and stable government also made way for a solid base of creativity and social progress, triggering exceptional changes in art, society and economy that this exhibition also covers.