Explore the History of this artwork.
This piece was made in 1790 during the Qing dynasty, which reigned from 1644 to 1912 and was the final imperial dynasty. It was made under the fifth emperor of the dynasty, Qianlong, who commissioned this sculpture, which “remains the largest jade carving outside of China”. During this period, China was deeply steeped in a respect for tradition. Over the years, society in China grew to be more conservative. Art was just as much about politics as it was about the opportunity to depict the beauty of creation.According to the Minneapolis Institute of Art catalog, the sculpture was at some point taken out of China. It was brought to the United States by the diplomat Herbert G. Squiers. After Squiers' death, his possessions, along with the jade sculpture, were auctioned off. In 1912, Thomas Barlow Walker (1840–1928), the founder of the Walker Art Center, bought Jade Mountain at the auction for US $4,000 (the equivalent of $133,000 in 2022). According to the catalog, it was one of his most prized possessions, and for many years a centerpiece in his house. Tim Gihring describes a photograph of the Jade Mountain so used: "Undated photograph, likely from around 1915, shows the sculpture atop a tablecloth, surrounded by dinnerware and flowers." According to Gihring, Walker started Minnesota's first art gallery in his own home, and this jade carving was next displayed there. In fact, Walker had an entire salon just for jade alone, where Jade Mountain was displayed among many other pieces. He was an avid collector of Asian art and sought to share his collection with his community. Much of the art that Walker had collected over his lifetime eventually became part of "Mia" (the Minneapolis Institute of Art), including Jade Mountain.
Jade Minneapolis Institute of Art Qianlong jade Thomas Barlow Walker Herbert G. Squiers Walker Art Center Qing dynasty China