Clothed to Rule the Universe: Ming to Qing Dynasty Textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago

This beautifully illustrated volume is devoted entirely to The Art Institute of Chicago's exceptional holdings of Chinese textiles. Richly illustrated with color reproductions, it showcases approximately 80 important objects (including court robes, priestly vestments, and furnishing textiles for imperial palaces) dating from the 17th to the early 20th century. A main essay surveys the entire collection, and a complete checklist incorporates full technical data on each piece and offers brief entries on individual works. It also includes an essay exploring the history of Chinese-textile collecting in Chicago. Contributors include Chinese-textiles expert John E. Vollmer, and Art Institute of Chicago curators Elinor Pearlstein and Christa C. Mayer Thurman. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)