Hong Kong Palace Museum | HKPM Special Exhibition Talk Series: Beauty and Power: Imperial Women and Jewellery in Qing China

A specialist in the study of palace women of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Dr Daisy Yiyou Wang, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, explores the spectacular jewellery for imperial women on view at the Museum. Presenting her new research on the production, consumption, and management of imperial jewels, Dr Wang unveils women’s little-known role and presence at the Qing court. Combining archival research, object-based study, and a cross-cultural approach, this lecture sheds new light on the study of the court ladies’ adornments as manifestations of their status, ethnicity, and aesthetic taste. In particular, Dr Wang invites the audience to take a close look at these exquisite headdresses, earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets to decipher their historical, cultural, and gendered meanings.

This talk accompanies the special exhibition “Cartier and Women” in Gallery 8, on view from 14 April through 14 August 2023 at the Museum. As the first major exhibition on the unique role and influence of women in the history of Cartier, it showcases around three hundred stunning treasures created by Cartier, including precious jewellery, timepieces, objects, accessories, and archival records from the nineteenth century to the present day, and illustrates the impact of Chinese aesthetics on the development of women’s lifestyles and global fashion. This exhibition is organised and curated by the Hong Kong Palace Museum with the support of Cartier. 

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