Skip to main content
Event Details
September 1, 2016
-

Norton Museum of Art
1451 S. Olive Avenue,
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
United States

Educators Calendar - West Palm Beach, FL

Spotlight: Ming Dynasty Dragon Panels

A new Chinese acquisition, these four boldly executed Ming dynasty panels represent a tradition of embellishing architectural elements with dragon motifs.  They were probably made to adorn the roof ridge of a temple.  According to Chinese beliefs, rooftops acted as platforms of intermediary communication between the heavenly and earthly realms. Consequently, roof panels were decorated with imagery to ward off evil and attract good fortune. These panels are believed to have been made during the 15th or 16th century in Shanxi province where  small family kilns transmitted skills and customs from generation to generation.