PHOTO RELEASE

OCTOBER MARKS 5^thANNIVERSARY OF PEABODY PLACE MUSEUM

Home to one of the largest collections of 19^thcentury Chinese art in the nation

Peabody Place Museum is celebrating its fifth anniversary throughout October. To thank the community for its support in past years, the Museum will feature a few of the pieces from its permanent collection.

Featured this week is a cloisonné Fish Pot with a Dragon Motif. The Chinese dragon (lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of the people. Throughout Chinese history, the dragon has been equated with weather. This is where the idea for the subject originated. This piece features multiple dragons swimming among the waters. The vibrant colors of the dragons are distinct and beautiful against the blues used for the waters.

Peabody Place Museum houses one of the nation's largest collections of 19^th century Chinese art. The permanent exhibit at the Museum includes objects created for Chinese nobility during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The collection includes intricately carved jade sculptures, beautifully crafted enamelware pieces and rare objects created from ivory. The Museum has smaller collections of fossils and minerals, contemporary European art glass, Russian lacquer boxes, Judaic art and more.

Peabody Place Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon until 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices are $5.00 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $4.00 for students. Group rates and tours are available at Peabody Place Museum, located at 119 South Main Street, The Pembroke Square Building, on the Concourse Level in downtown Memphis. Please call the Museum for details at 523-ARTS.