Chinggis Khaan: How Mongols Changed the World at Musée d'Histoire de Nantes

 

Dague
Bronze
2500-1800 avant J.-C.
Région de Bayankhongor
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

 
 

Chinggis Khaan

How Mongols Changed the World

October 14, 2023 — May 5, 2024

 

This exhibition is the first in France to be dedicated to one of history’s greatest conquerors: Chinggis Khaan.

From the Mongol plains to the southernmost borders of China, from the Pacific Ocean to the far reaches of the Middle East, Chinggis Khaan and his descendants built a vast empire during the 13th century that would change the face of the Earth.

At their peak, Mongol controlled more than 22% of the Earth’s surface, and Chinggis Khaan’s grandson, Kublai Khaan, Great Khaan of the Mongol, became Emperor of China by founding the Yuan Dynasty, establishing the capital in Dadu (current-day Beijing). After years of violent conquest, the “Pax Mongolica” allowed for commercial, scientific, and artistic relations to flourish between the East and West, allowing for an unparalleled period of exchange.

With the rare exhibition of objects from Mongolia’s national collections – including a large number of national treasures, complemented by objects from major French and European museums – this exhibition offers an insight into the history of this great empire of Chinggis Khaan.

This exhibition was made with the support of the Mongol government, through its loan of priceless items from its national collections, and notably from the new Chinggis Khaan National Museum. This show has been organized through the combined forces of Presidents of the two Republics – Mongolia and France –  and has been awarded the distinction of being an “exhibition of national interest” by the French Ministry of Culture. More than just an exhibition on the military glory of one of history’s greatest conquerors, this show will take a new approach to showing how the Mongol changed the world.

This exhibition will engage with visitors in many ways. Atmospheric sounds will be played throughout the exhibition to take visitors on a voyage of discovery. Several films have been produced that focus on key themes, such as the Silk Road, the figure of Genghis Khan, and the Mongols’ new cartographic vision of the world.

A number of touch-screens will allow visitors to browse through documents and texts on objects – many of which are exceptional in terms of their multicultural origins. And, perhaps the pinnacle of the exhibition: a projected, life-size, nearly 3-metre tall, headstone accompanied by visual and sound effects. It will surely be one of the exhibition’s highlights.

This exhibition is curated by Jean-Paul Desroches, Marie Favereau and Bertrand Guillet.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Exhibition Preview

 

Portrait de Gengis Khan
© Chinggis Khaan National Museum / Ulaanbaatar

Paire de fleurons de bannière mongole (süld)
Fer
1368-1634
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Casque avec oreillettes
Fer forgé et cuir
Empire mongol (dynastie Yuan), 13e‐14e siècle
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Masque funéraire
Argent
Dynastie Liao
10e-12e siècle après J.-C.
Région de Khentü
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Guanyin, le boddhisattva Avalokiteshvara
Bois polychrome
Vers 1125
Chine
© Collection Sam and Myrna Myers, France

Grande épée au cervidé
Bronze
2500-1800 avant J.-C.
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Cerf
Argent et or
Trésor du Mémorial de Bilgä Kagan
7e‐8e siècle après J.‐C.
Copie d’après l’original
© Musée national de Mongolie. Ulaanbaatar

Fragment de vêtement
Trouvé dans la tombe n° Khorig-2-4
Soie à fils d’or et motifs dits tavan nuden
13e-14e siècle
© Chinggis Khaan National Museum. Ulaanbaatar

Deux figurines de chamane
Jade
Culture de Hongshan
4700 ‐ 2900 avant J.‐C.
Chine, Mongolie intérieure
© Collection Sam and Myrna Myers. France

Bracelet à décor floral
Or
1206-1271
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Gengis Khan
Peinture sur soie
Empire mongol (dynastie Yuan) 14e siècle.
Copie d’après l’original
© Musée du Palais. Taipei, Taiwan

Cotte de mailles avec petite plaque miroir
Fer, cuivre
1368-1634
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Sabre
Fer, cuivre
1368-1634
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Couronne de Bilgä Kagan
(mort en 734)
Or et rubis
Trésor du Mémorial de Bilgä Kagan
8e siècle après J.‐C.
Copie d’après l’original
© Musée national de Mongolie. Ulaanbaatar

Ornements de selle
Ornement de troussequin et plaques de selle aux motifs de dragons
Bois, cuivre et argent
1206-1271
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

À l’unisson
Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322)
Peinture sur papier
14e siècle, Empire mongol (dynastie Yuan)
Copie d’après l’original
© Musée du Palais. Taipei, Taiwan

Ornement au décor de Bouddha
Trouvé dans la tombe No. Khorig-2-23
Or
13e – 14e siècle
© Chinggis Khaan National Museum. Ulaanbataar

Brasero au décor de dragons
Bronze
1368-1634
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Soleil
Trouvé dans la tombe n° Khorig-2-13
Or
13e 14e siècle
© Musée national de Mongolie. Ulaanbaatar

Croissant de lune
Trouvé dans la tombe n° Khorig-2-21
Or
13e-14e siècle
© Musée national de Mongolie. Ulaanbaatar

Dague
Bronze
2500-1800 avant J.-C.
Région de Bayankhongor
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Vase avec figures de Bouddha et inscriptions tantriques
Bronze
1368-1634
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Cloche chamanique au décor de soleil, lune, enfants, oiseaux et montagne
Cuivre
1368-1634
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Ornement sommital de coiffe
Or
1271-1368
© Collection Erdenechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Cervidés
Bronze
7e-5e siècle avant J.-C.
Région de Ulvurkhangai
© Collection Erdennechuluun Purevjav & Nemekhbayar Nadpurev. Mongolie

Bracelet orné de phénix
Or et alliage de cuivre
13e– 14e siècle
© Musée de Karakorum. Mongolie.

 
 
 
 

Art of the Ancestors extends a special thank you to Virginie Thomas and Perrine Ibarra.