GRACIE – Warriors – up close and personal

You may have been lucky enough to visit The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Xi’an, China and have viewed the terracotta warriors in situ, however there’s something very special about being able to get up close and personal to eight of them at the NGV’s Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality & Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape Winter Masters Exhibition.

The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Xi’an Image: GRACIE

The curators have selected eight warrior statues, horses and replica chariots together with a selection of ritual objects and ancestral treasures. These all combine to make this exhibition well worth visiting. The warriors are cleverly displayed in well lit glass enclosures that are mirror backed allowing you to see the total figure in exceptional detail.

Getting up close allows you to see the finer details of work and the variations of retained colour.

A kneeling archer with position suggesting he may have held a crossbow Image: GRACIE

Side view. A kneeling archer with position suggesting he may have held a crossbow Image: GRACIE

Horses played a fundamental role in the dynasties and sacrificial horse burials were practised. However, life-size replicas have been discovered as part of the terracotta army’s military formation.

Life size terracotta cavalry horse. Image: GRACIE

Cavalry horses as seen in The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Xi’an, China
Image: GRACIE

Only two chariots have been discovered. They were badly damaged but have been reconstructed from thousands of broken pieces. These are not available for exhibition outside of China. However, replicas have been made that provide a realistic impression of the originals.

Replica chariot used by the Emperor either to inspect the troops or for use in battle. Image: GRACIE

Thousands of pottery animals have been excavated. They were to accompany the emperor as a source of ongoing supply of food for the afterlife.

Excavated pottery animals Image: GRACIE

A selection from more than 50,000 small scale warriors also used as tomb guardians. Image: GRACIE

Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape, counterpart to the warriors, is inspired by Chinese traditional inventions and provides a considered blending of past and present. All these works have been created specifically for the exhibition and are both exciting and dramatic.