CHINESE ROTUNDA INTRODUCTION
Completed in 1915, the Chinese Rotunda stands 90 feet high and 90 feet wide. It is one of the largest unsupported masonry domes in the United States, housing one of the finest collections of monumental Chinese art in the country, covering some 4,000 years of Chinese history. From ancient wine vessels and jade pendants to tomb figures, paintings, and Buddhist sculpture, the artifacts tell us about the burial customs, religious traditions, and ritual activities that make China an endless source of research and revelation.
Unlike many collections of the Penn Museum, the Chinese collection in large part consists of donations and purchases rather than pieces acquired through Museum expeditions. Since many of the objects were on loan for the opening, then director, George Byron Gordon took a novel approach to their acquisition. By affixing prices to each loaned object, he hoped to persuade wealthy patrons of the area to purchase the pieces on display for all Philadelphians to enjoy. The plan worked, and today the Penn Museum and its community continue to enjoy the spectacular architecture and artifacts that make the Rotunda such a wonderful space to learn about Chinese culture and history.
Completed in 1915, the Chinese Rotunda stands 90 feet high and 90 feet wide. It is one of the largest unsupported masonry domes in the United States, housing one of the finest collections of monumental Chinese art in the country, covering some 4,000 years of Chinese history. From ancient wine vessels and jade pendants to tomb figures, paintings, and Buddhist sculpture, the artifacts tell us about the burial customs, religious traditions, and ritual activities that make China an endless source of research and revelation.
Unlike many collections of the Penn Museum, the Chinese collection in large part consists of donations and purchases rather than pieces acquired through Museum expeditions. Since many of the objects were on loan for the opening, then director, George Byron Gordon took a novel approach to their acquisition. By affixing prices to each loaned object, he hoped to persuade wealthy patrons of the area to purchase the pieces on display for all Philadelphians to enjoy. The plan worked, and today the Penn Museum and its community continue to enjoy the spectacular architecture and artifacts that make the Rotunda such a wonderful space to learn about Chinese culture and history.
Unlike many collections of the Penn Museum, the Chinese collection in large part consists of donations and purchases rather than pieces acquired through Museum expeditions. Since many of the objects were on loan for the opening, then director, George Byron Gordon took a novel approach to their acquisition. By affixing prices to each loaned object, he hoped to persuade wealthy patrons of the area to purchase the pieces on display for all Philadelphians to enjoy. The plan worked, and today the Penn Museum and its community continue to enjoy the spectacular architecture and artifacts that make the Rotunda such a wonderful space to learn about Chinese culture and history.
