An Era in Jinling, painted in the late 18th or early 19th century by the Qing court artist Feng Ning, was inscribed by three Qing emperors – Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Xuantong – and compiled in Collected Treasures of the Stony Moat, an imperial inventory documenting the emperor’s most prized artworks. Depicting the cityscape, social life, and customs of Nanjing in Song dynasty China (960–1279), this long painted scroll has been described as “an encyclopedia of Nanjing’s history, cultures, and folk customs.”

In total, this scroll measuring more than 10 metres features 533 figures, 90 animals, over two dozen carriages, horses, and sedan chairs, and more than 40 shops and vendors. Members of high society, merchants, and peddlers all gather in the heart of the vibrant, bustling city. As a heritage masterpiece representing traditional Chinese arts and cultures, An Era in Jinling conveys to the world the enduring spiritual core of Chinese civilization and Eastern aesthetics.

We are honoured to bring An Era in Jinling to our collection as part of our collaboration with the Deji Art Museum in Nanjing, China. Committed to offering diverse artistic experiences, the Museum is endowed with a rich collection that bridges eras and cultures.