The Celestial City: Newport and China
Exhibition was open September 1, 2023 – February 11, 2024
Take a virtual tour of The Celestial City exhibition
Since Newport’s beginnings as a colonial seaport, generations of its citizens have looked to China for knowledge, beauty, fortune and freedom. In turn, many different people of Chinese heritage, including artists, merchants, immigrant entrepreneurs and women suffragists, shaped all aspects of life in Newport. Their stories are at the heart of this exhibition.
The Celestial City explores China’s deep influence on Newport from the 18th century through the Gilded Age (1865-1915), when the city emerged as America’s premier summer playground and the fall of China’s last imperial dynasty transformed the ancient nation.
The extraordinary objects on display include more than 100 works from the Preservation Society’s collection and other institutions in a range of media, from paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs to fashion, ceramics, lacquerwares and lanterns.
Highlights include treasures of Chinese art collected by Newport merchants and industrialists; photographs and stories from Newport’s early Chinese community; and the writings, portraits and family heirlooms of heroic Chinese women suffragists. Contemporary artworks by Yu-Wen Wu and Jennifer Ling Datchuk illuminate Chinese contributions to Newport as well as hidden connections between the Newport mansions and the Chinese-American experience.
What you need to know
The Celestial City: Newport and China at Rosecliff has closed.Take a virtual tour of The Celestial City exhibition
Since Newport’s beginnings as a colonial seaport, generations of its citizens have looked to China for knowledge, beauty, fortune and freedom. In turn, many different people of Chinese heritage, including artists, merchants, immigrant entrepreneurs and women suffragists, shaped all aspects of life in Newport. Their stories are at the heart of this exhibition.
The Celestial City explores China’s deep influence on Newport from the 18th century through the Gilded Age (1865-1915), when the city emerged as America’s premier summer playground and the fall of China’s last imperial dynasty transformed the ancient nation.
The extraordinary objects on display include more than 100 works from the Preservation Society’s collection and other institutions in a range of media, from paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs to fashion, ceramics, lacquerwares and lanterns.
Highlights include treasures of Chinese art collected by Newport merchants and industrialists; photographs and stories from Newport’s early Chinese community; and the writings, portraits and family heirlooms of heroic Chinese women suffragists. Contemporary artworks by Yu-Wen Wu and Jennifer Ling Datchuk illuminate Chinese contributions to Newport as well as hidden connections between the Newport mansions and the Chinese-American experience.
Selected pieces from the exhibition
Postcard with Lee Yun Laundry at 329 Thames Street, in Business from 1890-1942
The Metropolitan News Co., Boston, c. 1900
Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Detail of Informal Dragon Robe
Unidentified maker (Chinese), late 19th century
Gift of Mr. Edward Lee Cave
Portrait of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Chinese Suffragist, in Barnard College Yearbook, Class of 1916
Purchase of The Preservation Society of Newport County
Portrait of Grace Yip Typond, Chinese Suffragist
Unidentified photographer, New York, c. 1910
Collection of Douglas J. Chu
Detail of Standing Screen
Li Ailian, 19th century
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Smith
Postcard with Chop Suey Restaurant (Bun Jun Low or Moy Fou Restaurant),
195 Thames Street
Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, c. 1913
Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Vase
Unidentified maker (Chinese), 18th century
Gift of the Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Berwind II
The Chinese Teahouse at Marble House, Newport
Richard Howland Hunt and Joseph Howland Hunt (architects), 1912-1914
Photograph Andrea Hansen
“N.A.W.S.A. Catching Up With China” Suffrage Banner
1912
The Huntington Library, Susan B. Anthony Collection
Plate Belonging to Godfrey Malbone (1695-1768)
Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1760
Gift of Mrs. Philip G. Birckhead
Cigar Box Inscribed "W" for William Shepard Wetmore
Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1835
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Morris Smith
Portrait of Wu Bingjian
Guan Qiaochang (also known as Lamqua), c. 1840
Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives
Postcard with Lee Yun Laundry at 329 Thames Street, in Business from 1890-1942
The Metropolitan News Co., Boston, c. 1900
Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Detail of Informal Dragon Robe
Unidentified maker (Chinese), late 19th century
Gift of Mr. Edward Lee Cave
Portrait of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Chinese Suffragist, in Barnard College Yearbook, Class of 1916
Purchase of The Preservation Society of Newport County
Portrait of Grace Yip Typond, Chinese Suffragist
Unidentified photographer, New York, c. 1910
Collection of Douglas J. Chu
Detail of Standing Screen
Li Ailian, 19th century
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Smith
Postcard with Chop Suey Restaurant (Bun Jun Low or Moy Fou Restaurant),
195 Thames Street
Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, c. 1913
Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Vase
Unidentified maker (Chinese), 18th century
Gift of the Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Berwind II
The Chinese Teahouse at Marble House, Newport
Richard Howland Hunt and Joseph Howland Hunt (architects), 1912-1914
Photograph Andrea Hansen
“N.A.W.S.A. Catching Up With China” Suffrage Banner
1912
The Huntington Library, Susan B. Anthony Collection
Plate Belonging to Godfrey Malbone (1695-1768)
Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1760
Gift of Mrs. Philip G. Birckhead
Cigar Box Inscribed "W" for William Shepard Wetmore
Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1835
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Morris Smith
Portrait of Wu Bingjian
Guan Qiaochang (also known as Lamqua), c. 1840
Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives
Postcard with Lee Yun Laundry at 329 Thames Street, in Business from 1890-1942
The Metropolitan News Co., Boston, c. 1900
Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Detail of Informal Dragon Robe
Unidentified maker (Chinese), late 19th century
Gift of Mr. Edward Lee Cave
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Join Jeff Curtis, Director of Gardens & Landscapes, for a guided tour of the specimen trees on the Marble House grounds.
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Themed “A Floral Fair,” the 29th annual Show will combine the elegance of a Gilded Age fête with the good cheer of a summer county fair.
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Beneath The Breakers Tour
Daily
10:00am
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour
Daily
2:00pm
For the first time in the 129-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts is open for public tours.
Servant Life Tour
Daily
10 am and 2 pm
See and hear how the other half lived. This tour will highlight the stories of some of the men and women who worked to service the social whirl of Newport during the Gilded Age.
Lifting the Curtain: Behind the Scenes of Museum Work
January 23 – April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
This series of programs, listed below, offers glimpses into the work that happens behind the scenes at the Newport Mansions, including curatorial, conservation, preservation, historical research and interpretation.
Exclusive Experiences Online Auction
March 23 – 30, 2025
Bid on any of 22 once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the Newport Mansions and our auction partners.
The Newport Piccolo Simposio: Italian Influence in Newport
April 3, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
Founded in 1993, the Newport Symposium has been an annual convening of fine and decorative arts experts and enthusiasts from across the country and the world. Attendees listen to stimulating lectures, experience behind-the-scenes study opportunities and gather to network and discuss the future of our history.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Registration for remote virtual attendance is still available.
Behind the Boiserie: An Intimate Exploration of the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers
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11:00am – 12:00pm
Follow the history and conservation research on the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers, a highly significant but often overlooked space.
This program will be offered on March 6 & April 9.
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11:00am – 12:15pm
Get an exclusive close-up look at two of the costumes worn in the 1974 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby," guided by our textile conservator and one of our research fellows.
SOLD OUT
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April 18, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
Learn about the ongoing research into and conservation of the furniture on the third floor of The Breakers, which opened to the public for the first time last year.
SOLD OUT
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April 25, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
SOLD OUT
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May 2 – June 27, 2025
Fans of HBO’s "The Gilded Age" will love this guide-led tour of locations in four of the Newport Mansions where Julian Fellowes' historical drama series was filmed. Fridays only, May 2 through June 27.
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May 3, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Learn tips and tricks from the Preservation Society's Director of Gardens & Landscapes to help you prepare your garden beds for a successful growing season.
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6:00pm – 8:00pm
Learn about Newport’s landscape history, the threat posed by beech leaf disease and planting strategies for the future. This educational forum is a collaborative effort among The Preservation Society of Newport County, Bartlett Tree Experts, the City of Newport, Salve Regina University, Aquidneck Land Trust and The Newport Tree Conservancy.
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May 17, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Join Jeff Curtis, Director of Gardens & Landscapes, for a guided tour of the specimen trees on the Marble House grounds.
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May 17, 2025
10:30am – 12:00pm
Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadets will get a chance to explore Green Animals Topiary Garden and earn a badge by completing activities. Presented in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England.
The Newport Flower Show: “A Floral Fair”
June 20 – 22, 2025
Themed “A Floral Fair,” the 29th annual Show will combine the elegance of a Gilded Age fête with the good cheer of a summer county fair.
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
September 19 – 21, 2025
Thank you to all of our sponsors, guests and volunteers for another successful Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. See you next year for the 20th annual festival, September 19-21, 2025, at Rosecliff. Become a Preservation Society member and receive early access to purchase 2025 tickets before they become available to the general public.
