Icons of the Celestial Kingdom

The paintings on silk in this collection were executed in the 1930s and 1940s by a group of talented art professors from the Catholic Fu-jen University in Beijing. In 1993 they were acquired in France by the late Reverend Edward J. Malatesta, S.J., founding director of the Ricci Institute. The paintings have been exhibited in Macau, Lisbon and the United States. Please click to enter the gallery.

The Lotus & The Cross

This is an exhibition of large-format photographs of stone tombstones from Fujian province in South China and stone crosses from Kerala state in South India, presenting some of the surviving archaeological evidence for early Eastern Christian presence in India and China. Written records and inscriptions show that between the fourth and seventh centuries Christians from the Middle East undertook trade and missionary work using the overland routes to China and the maritime spice route to India. The tombstones from Fujian belong to so-called “Nestorian” Christians who settled in South China during the Mongol Period (1272-1368), while the stone crosses from Kerala belong to various Syrian Christian communities, the earliest dated to the eighth century. A common iconographic motif to be seen on these remains from both continents is the mounting of the cross on the lotus flower. Please click to enter the gallery.

Fusion 1700: Wonders of the Time

Each lecture focused on one specific subject area and explored how China and the West interacted through Christianity in the Ming-Qing period. Specific emphasis was placed on the exchanges between the Jesuit missionaries and the Qing imperial court. Please click to enter the gallery.

Taiwan in the 1950s

Taiwan - the "Beautiful Island" or "Ilha Formosa" of the Portuguese navigators - is the subject of this series of photographs by Frederick J. Foley, who spent most of the 1950s there, teaching English at National Taiwan University in Taipei and travelling around the island with his camera. Please click to enter the gallery.

Bibliotheca Zikawei

Bibliotheca Zikawei, a unique library established by the Society of Jesus in Shanghai in the nineteenth century, re-opened recently. View pictures of the newly renovated buildings of the library and its interior sections.
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Through the Moon Gate: Portraits of China, 1950s - 1990s

These were photographs taken while Fr. Stevenson was teaching in Taiwan from 1954 to 1963, and during visits to mainland China from 1972 through the 1990s. During his visits, Fr. Stevenson developed both personal and scholarly ties between the University of San Francisco and China. The Moon Gate invites you to step through the camera and explore subtle aspects of nature and human life in China during this period. Please click to enter the gallery.

The Mechanics of Heaven: Jesuit Astronomers at the Qing Court

A brief introduction to Jesuit contributions in astronomy and the physical sciences presented at the exhibit, Dragon Skies: Astronomy of Imperial China, held at the Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland (July 10, 2004-January 2, 2005) Please click to enter the gallery.

The Art of Sister Adele, O.P. The China Counterpoint Image Collection

A pioneer in the fine art of color photomontage, Sister Adele Rowland produces stunningly realized images that employ a delicate counterpointing quality. Her artwork strives to present a living, coherent whole based on the genuine relationship between the juxtaposed elements. Please click to enter the gallery.

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross depict fourteen scenes in the final days of Jesus's life, from his trial before the Roman official through his death and burial. Portrayed in a variety of artistic styles, these scenes adorn Catholic churches and shrines throughout the world. Please click to enter the gallery.

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