Spanning over two thousand years of Chinese history, “Empresses of the Ages: The Silk Legacy of Xiang Li” invites visitors into a breathtaking world where art and history intertwine. Master artist Xiang Li, who spent four decades at the Forbidden City in Beijing, brings to life the stories of women who shaped empires—each brushstroke revealing grace, resilience, and intellect.

For this solo exhibition, Xiang Li unveils monumental silk scrolls up to 2 x 4 meters alongside never-before-seen portrait originals (36 x 72 inches). Each painting is created with traditional mineral pigments and silk techniques passed down through centuries.

Xiang Li’s work has been featured at leading cultural institutions throughout Massachusetts, including Harvard Museums, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Harvard University’s Gutman Library, Worcester Art Museum, the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill among others. Her exhibitions have captivated audiences of all ages, inspiring both art lovers and students to explore Chinese history through a new, human lens.

Hosted by LabCentral’s dynamic art program in the heart of Cambridge’s innovation district, this exhibition bridges cultures—celebrating heritage, leadership, and the shared human pursuit of beauty and meaning. Together with her daughter and collaborator Fei Wu, Xiang Li extends her mission beyond Central Massachusetts, fostering connections between science, art, and community.

Artist Bio

Xiang Li is an internationally acclaimed artist who specialized in the reproduction and restoration of ancient Chinese paintings at the Forbidden City of Beijing, China, where she worked as a Master Artist for 37 years.  She has earned high praise from top art scholars including the Last Emperor’s brother, Pu Jie.
Li was first recognized in 1985 after spending ten years creating the first complete collection, featuring 413 scenes from the Chinese classic novel, Dream of the Red Chamber. This collection was featured at the Grand View Garden in Beijing for 20 years (1985-2005) before it was sold to The National Studies Museum in Qingdao, China.

Following the Dream of the Red Chamber, Li completed a sequel collection, the breath-taking 100 Flower Goddesses, which was recognized and signed by the best-known Chinese calligraphers and artists from the 20th Century, including Dong Shouping, Fan Zeng, Zhou Ruchang, Zhou Cezong, Shanmao Wu, and Pu Jie. 
In 2010, Li began working on the most artistically and technically challenging collection, Chinese Empresses, features over 200 empresses painted with gemstone watercolors on silk and has been showcased at the Harvard Museums, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Worcester Art Museum, JMAC, Cambridge Library, Tower Hill Botanical Garden among others.

In 2016, Li was invited to the Zhuhai Red Cross charity event and donated the entire sale of her paintings (USD 140,000) to children with autism.

 

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