Pine, Hawk and Glossy Ganoderma,
1724, by Lang Shining
China: the Three Emperors, the new blockbuster at the Royal Academy of Arts, has been billed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - there are treasures here, many of them from the Palace Museum in Beijing, which are kept in storage even in China, and may never be seen again here or in Asia.
Charting the art of the reigns of the Manchu emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, who between them ruled their incalculably vast territories from 1662-1795, it's a riot of gorgeously embroidered silk, minutely decorated scrolls, and paintings teeming with fascinating detail, from an exquisite miniature porcelain vase filled with rowanberries beneath a wintry garden pavilion, to tiny 18th-century Europeans, looking very Chinese despite breeches and tricorn hats, offering gifts to the imperial family.
And despite the blockbustery nature of the show, it was actually very easy to get around - not at all crowded, no queues at the door, no elbowing or being elbowed in front of the best exhibits. Maybe I got in at the right moment, before the heft of the reviews start to urge the hordes in, but my careful online booking (for the naturally lip-bitingly expensive tickets at £11 plus booking fee) seemed pretty unnecessary, as there wasn't a queue to be seen. Now I've seen buses plying up and down with China marketing emblazoned on them - so it could be that the moment is passing ...
* Preview the exhibition here.
