John E. Vollmer Libri

Art takes many forms. In this selection of Asian court attire, dating from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the phrase "you are what you wear" resonates. Vollmer journeys back to the thirteenth-century Chinese Empire, where ancestors of the ruling Manchu conquerors dressed fittingly. These exquisite costumes remind us that royalty once set fashion standards the way that celebrities do today, but that these garments also promoted distinct national and political messages that helped keep a ruling minority in power for nearly three centuries. Dressed to Rule is a guide to the exhibit, of the same name, that appeared at the University of Alberta in 2007.

In this sumptuous volume, John Vollmer and Jacqueline Simcox showcase 72 objects focused on the emperors of China from the Mactaggart Art Collection at the University of Alberta Museums, one of the foremost collections of Chinese paintings and textiles in the world. Full-colour images and informative text introduce both the works from the collection and how they served as emblems of imperial order and power during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Students, collectors, museum visitors, scholars, historians, and individuals interested in Chinese art will be stirred by the sensuous interplay of hierarchy and design of the painted and textile arts of the Chinese Imperial court, as explored and illuminated in this book.

Book by Vollmer, John E., Keall, E. J., Nagal-Berthrong, E.