Zhang figurines were once so popular that they were coveted by children AND the Chinese emperor. On Wednesday, they took center stage at the National Art Museum of China, while an exhibition by Chinese photographer Wu Yinxian created the historical backdrop for these sculpted characters.
Zhang figurines originated with craftsman Zhang Mingshan in Tianjin and gained such a following that Emperor Daoguang commissioned imperial pieces for himself.
Clay figurines, not fine porcelains are the guest of honor at the National Art Museum of China.
Zhang figurines originated with craftsman Zhang Mingshan in Tianjin and gained such a following that Emperor Daoguang commissioned imperial pieces for himself. And what the emperor adored, the world craved, with the figures becoming a lead attraction at the San Francisco
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