Story of a Brand Name: The Collection and Packaging Aesthetics of the Qing Emperor Qianlong is a special exhibition dedicated to exploring Emperor Qianlong's collecting and packaging of artworks.
This exhibition catalogue is divided into four sections. The first section, entitled "Open the Treasure Box," introduces the "Hundred-item" curio box to show the abundance and diversity of the various artworks conjoined within and reveal that the imperial collection came from all places. The second section, entitled "Beloved Antiques," explores the journey of the Qianlong emperor's connoisseurship and how he examined artworks through historical research. The third section, entitled "Adored Precious," documents the process in which Qianlong emperor organized the Qing court's collection through the alternative use of new and recycled cases. The section also explains how storage ideas and decoration aesthetics were generated along the process. The fourth and final section, entitled "The Brand of Qianlong," aims to explore how Qianlong combined old and new elements to create a hallmark and express his intention to transcend the boundaries between the past and present by contrasting antiques and new innovations.
This exhibition catalogue selects antiquities, paintings, calligraphy works, and rare books to demonstrate Emperor Qianlong's taste in art and the interaction between him and his art collection. Each artwork was stored in a custom-made case and new creations with contemporary characteristics came into being from this process. The achievements of Emperor Qianlong correspond to the modern concepts of product innovations and brand establishment. It might thus be fruitful to reconsider the connection between new templates produced in the eighteenth century and the original imperial collection through the lens of creation in "The Brand of Qianlong." The numerous remarkable storage methods also exemplify the ancient art of packaging and artistic creativity.