With its precious collections from the Palace of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, preserves exceptional works that tell the story of imperial China, from the period of the Warring Kingdoms (5th century BC) to the Qing dynasty at the dawn of the 20th century. Porcelain, silk panels, rare ivory and wood objets d'art, sculptures and ceremonial tableware will be presented alongside a selection of rare pieces from the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Van Cleef & Arpels heritage collection, in an exhibition to be held this autumn at the National Palace Museum. Entitled Beauty Speaks for Itself, the exhibition is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between three internationally renowned institutions. 

The originality of the project lies in its scenario: around five universal themes - nature, movement, fantasy, secrets and colours - works from each institution will be compared and contrasted. Beyond simple aesthetic comparisons, the pieces selected testify to the quest for technical perfection and ongoing innovation, and illustrate the constant creativity of artists and craftspeople around the world. They also underline the wonder and curiosity of the art world, through the ages, for other cultural and geographical spheres. These masterpieces speak of the transmission of knowledge, of the ongoing circulation of iconographic motifs and themes, of the taste for precious materials in all cultures, of the transfer and appropriation from one end of the Eurasian continent to the other. They are also an invitation to contemplation and reverie.

Through 240 masterpieces, the book that accompanies this exhibition unfolds the story of a history of the arts spanning more than a thousand years, in which East and West engage in a dialogue of mutual fascination. Designed as a case draped in warm colours that highlight the pieces, the book offers an aesthetic and immersive journey. It is complemented by notes and short essays that recontextualise the sources of inspiration, cultural exchanges and formal innovations.