The art of China has arguably the oldest continuous tradition in the world, and is marked chiefly by an unusual degree of continuity within it. It.spans over 10,500 years, over three main periods, (ancient, Imperial, and modern) and encapsulates almost twenty dynasties. Much of the best work in ceramics, textiles and other media was produced anonymously over a long period by various Imperial factories or workshops. It was used both internally by the court, and distributed abroad on a grand scale to demonstrate the wealth and power of the Emperors. Known for their ability to mold a material into simple and sophisticated objects, whether it is jade, porcelain, or lacquered wood, Chinese art embodies spiritual sensibilities. Both serene and dynamic, quintessential ancient Chinese artifacts like the Tang Horse or the Ming Lokapala universally express an air of bold strength and subtle discernment. And indeed they are just the tip of the ice berg… through countless varieties of color, shape, and form, Chinese Art embodies a spirit of incomparable grace and keen refinement as deep and rich as the people and their renowned history. The Barakat Gallery regularly exhibits one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese Art outside of the country of China, with substantial offerings in bronze culinary implements, glazed terracotta figures, monumental stone sculptures, and lacquered wooden carvings.
