Art Expert from Christie's NYC at The Tyler Museum of Art

For The Eyes of Emperors

TMA Lecture to Reveal the Art of the Dragon Throne

            (TYLER, TX) February 14, 2011 – Artworks created to dazzle the eyes of Chinese emperors will be the focus of the second Spring Lecture presented by the Tyler Museum of Art. The lecture, titled “The Art of the Dragon Throne: Paintings, Ceramics, and Decorative Furnishings Made for the Emperors of China” will be given by Elizabeth Hammer, Vice President and Specialist in Chinese Paintings for Christie's, New York, on Thursday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the TMA classroom. Seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling the Museum at 903.595.100.

“The content of the talk will look at the various kinds of art that was made over four millennia to celebrate, legitimize and entertain China's emperors,” said Ms. Hammer. “These myriad objects were made of the finest materials and crafted by the most skillful hands. Not only do they dazzle the eye, but they also reveal symbolic imagery and philosophical concepts that have long been central to Chinese civilization.”

Before rejoining Christie's in 2007, Elizabeth Hammer was a specialist in the Chinese Paintings department between 1991 and 1995. In New York she represents Christie's department of Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings in Hong Kong and is responsible for assessing Chinese paintings and calligraphy, gaining consignments, catalogue preparation, sales promotion and client service. 

“We are fortunate to have a guest speaker as accomplished and knowledgeable as Ms. Hammer at the TMA,” said Ken Tomio, TMA Head of Education. “Her talk is certain to be of interest to anyone who collects or appreciates Chinese decorative arts, and there are many collectors here in Tyler and the surrounding areas.”

Ms. Hammer worked as an educator specializing in Asian art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the interval between her employment at Christie's. Her publications include Splendors of Imperial China: Treasures from The National Palace Museum, Taipei: An Electronic Catalogue and Nature Within Walls: The Chinese Garden Court at The Metropolitan Museum of Art: A Resource for Educators. She continues to teach and write from time to time for local educational institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum, New York University, and China Institute in America. Ms. Hammer holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in East Asian Studies, with a concentration in Chinese art history, from the College of William and Mary and Yale University, respectively.

“The Art of the Dragon Throne” is the second lecture of the Tyler Museum of Art’s Spring Lecture Series, a component of the Museum’s overall adult educational programming. Admission to the lecture is free for TMA Members, $7 for adults, and $5 for students and seniors. Because seating is limited, participants are encouraged to reserve their seats by calling 903.595.1001 by Wednesday, February 23.

The Tyler Museum of Art, accredited by the American Association of Museums, is supported by its Members, Tyler Junior College, and the City of Tyler, and is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus off East Fifth Street. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. (The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays.) Lunch is available in the Museum Café from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and the TMA Gift Shop is open during Museum hours. For more information, call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.