Forbidden City exhibit debuts at Museum of Modern Art

on Tuesday,February 01,2011 19:02

Art enthusiasts who previously thought they would not have the opportunity to view pieces from China's Forbidden City will have the opportunity to do so beginning on February 1.

"The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City" will open at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, displaying artifacts from a Chinese luxury compound that was closed off for years, according to Reuters. The pieces come from a 27-building garden sanctuary completed by Emperor Qianlong. Approximately 90 works will be available for all to see until May 1.

"The garden was meant to be a lasting testimony to the efficacy of his [the emperor's] rule," Maxwell Hearn, the curator of the exhibition, told the news source. "Every surface was embellished with the finest workmanship, the most precious materials imaginable."

Pieces on display include Buddhist statues, scrolls, murals and furniture. Art experts have been interested in artifacts from the Forbidden City for years because of its unusual signs of Western influence.

Historical exhibits may inspire individuals to pursue careers in the art industry. Employment in fine artists is expected to increase by 9 percent over the next seven years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.