RICHMOND, Va. --
Ten life-size terracotta figures, including warriors and a cavalry horse, that protected the tomb of China’s First Emperor are on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in “Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China.” The exhibition will showcase more than 130 works of art, drawn from the collections of 14 art museums and archaeological institutes across the Shaanxi province in China, and will tell the story of how the Qin state developed into an empire under Ying Zheng (259-210 BC), who unified China and declared himself Qin Shihuang, or the First Emperor of Qin.
VMFA Director Alex Nyerges says, “The Terracotta Army is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. In our 80-year history, Terracotta Army will be the first exhibition organized by VMFA that is devoted to the art and archaeology of ancient China,” “From the featured objects, our audience will learn about the First Emperor’s political and cultural innovation and legacy, as well as gain a better understanding about ancient Chinese cultural history as part of world civilization.”
Timed admission tickets for the exhibition are now on sale. The exhibition is free for VMFA members, children ages 6 and under, and active-duty military personnel and their immediate families; $20 for adults, $16 for seniors 65+, and $10 for youth ages 7-17 and college students with ID. Visitors can reserve tickets online http://reservations.vmfa.museum/state/info.aspx?ActivityID=4461 or by phone at 804.340.1405. The exhibition catalogue can be ordered online http://vmfashop.com/ or by calling the VMFA Shop at 804.340.1525. Terracotta Army, which includes more than 40 objects never shown before in the United States, will be on display at VMFA from November 18, 2017 to March 11, 2018.
