Lavish illustrations document the first exhibition devoted exclusively to luxury silks and embroideries produced from the Tang (618-907) through the early Ming period (late 14th-early 15th century). Drawn from the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cleveland Museum of Art, the textiles are remarkable not only for their dazzling display of technical virtuosity but also for their historical significance. Their techniques and patterns reflect shifts in the balance of power between Central Asia and China that occurred as dynasties rose and fell and empires expanded and dissolved. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
