Highlights
Royal Bronzes of Angkor, an Art of the Divine
Pierre Baptiste, David Bourgarit, Brice Vincent, Thierry Zéphir
Angkor, the capital of the Khmer kingdom for more than six centuries (9th–15th century), has preserved from its past glory monumental remains of incomparable magnitude and beauty. The architecture of the temples and the stone statues installed inside have been celebrated many times and are part of the heritage of humankind. But did you know that these grandiose Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries, now empty, once housed a considerable number of deities, especially the main cult images, made of precious metal (gold, silver, and bronze, the latter often gilded) and had numerous accessories of daily rituals and other decorations, also made of metal? All these elements appear furtively on certain bas-reliefs, but their existence is mainly revealed in the Sanskrit and Khmer inscriptions written on the walls and steles of the temples.
Solace in Painting? Diasporic Artists and the Market for Conflict
Solace in Painting explores the foundational question of how we raise awareness about and effectively characterize the artwork of conflicted artists of the diaspora who never produced overt ‘conflict art’. This question is examined through the lives and artwork of three Asian diasporic painters: Chao Shao-an (also known as Zhao Shao'ang, 1905–1998, Keisho Okayama (1934–2018), and Ann Phong (b. 1957).
Shokoku-ji Jotenkaku Museum 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Legacy of Zen Temples: Shokoku-ji, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji, Kyoto
Over the centuries, Zen Buddhism and its institutions have served as a catalyst for the creation and preservation of Japanese art. Zen monasteries have built up extraordinary collections of artworks and transmitted them from generation to generation. This is especially the case for one of the most prominent monasteries in Japanese history, Kyoto’s Shōkoku-ji.
Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theatre in Japanese Prints
The exhibition ‘Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints’ is currently on view in Washington, DC, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA; 23 March–6 October 2024). The origin of the exhibition dates back more than fifteen years but was buoyed into reality by two major acquisitions.
From Cocoons to Kaftans: Splendid Silks at the Sogdian Court in Samarkand
For those interested in the history of silk and the movement of materials, techniques, and motifs along the Silk Roads, the 7th century wall painting programme from the so-called ‘Hall of Ambassadors’ in the Sogdian city of Samarkand (in present-day Uzbekistan) offers a rich source of illuminating knowledge.
Village Abstraction: Patchwork Textiles in Rural China
The historical trail of these Chinese patchworked textiles winds back almost two thousand years, with the entrance of Buddhism to China, and back at least another five hundred years in India. The tradition carried with it not only the concept of stitching together fabric scraps but also layers of meanings attached to such assembling.
Splendid Patchwork: Buddhist Monastic Robes from Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has cultivated a distinguished collection of Chinese art with notable strengths in several areas. Qing dynasty (1644–1911) silk textiles are represented with nearly one thousand works, comprising one of the largest and best collections in the West.
Friendship, Network, and Self-Fashioning in Cao Zaikui’s Catalogue of Ancient Bronzes
Antiquarianism (jinshixue) established itself as a respected academic discipline in the Song dynasty (960–1279) and gained significant prominence in the 19th century. Following the reign of the emperor Jiaqing (1796–1820), more scholars collected and published bronze and stone inscriptions to verify and supplement classical and historical records found in transmitted texts.
Japanese Gift Covers from the Chris Hall Collection
In Japan, squares of lined silk called fukusa were used to cover and exchange formal gifts. Exquisitely embroidered, woven, painted, and dyed, fukusa are some of the finest examples of Japanese textile artistry.
On the Trail of Treasure from China’s Lost Summer Palace
Understanding and uncovering where these artworks went after the looting is a fascinating exercise in detective work that runs through libraries, palaces, auction archives, museums, and private houses around Europe and the United States.
John Thomson’s Photography of Hong Kong: Picturesque Landscape and ‘Types’
Born in Edinburgh, John Thomson (1837–1921) was a Scottish geographer, traveller, and photographer. He was the first known photographer to document China and, unlike most Western photographers of the time who stayed in the coastal treaty ports, he travelled to the interior of China.
Remembrance of Things Past: Negotiating a Scholar-Official Identity in Sweetmeat Vendor and a Child
Street vendors were a popular painting subject in both the Song dynasty (960–1279) and the subsequent Yuan dynasty (1272–1368), the transition of which marked the dominion of the Mongol empire over China.
The Religious and Humanistic Context of Chinese Tang-Dynasty Armour Futun (Abdominal Swallowing-like Beast)
The Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) is often regarded as the most wealthy age of ancient Chinese empires, and Tang art elaborately demonstrates the dynasty’s cultural diversity.
In Pursuit of the Picturesque: Jades from the Qianlong Era in the Minneapolis Institute of Art
The reign of Qianlong (r. 1735–96) marked the most glorious period in the long history of jade production in China. The stable imperial power and unprecedented prosperity created an environment in which jade carving could flourish.
Fascinating Characters: The Art of Writing and Text Cultures in East Asia
The significance and relevance of the art of writing compellingly lends this subject to the opening presentation in this gallery. Calligraphy is omnipresent in East Asia, where writing systems are crucial.
A Lonely Odyssey: The Life and Legacy of Alma M. Karlin
Karlin was by no means the first woman to travel around the world alone, but she was one of the first women to travel on her own for such an extended period.
The Abstract Prints of Hagiwara Hideo
In 1954, the Japanese oil painter Hagiwara Hideo (1913–2007) turned to woodblock printmaking after falling ill with tuberculosis. Right from the start his prints were abstract in style, which made his reputation abroad as well as in Japan.
Lalan’s Metaphysical Journey Through Her Artistic Practice
Xie Jinglan (1921–95), nicknamed Lalan, was an artist who paved her search into spirituality through the oeuvre she composed, choreographed, performed, and painted.
‘Jewels of Transcendence: Himalayan and Mongolian Treasures’
Humanity has long viewed material treasures as evidence of spiritual riches—just as the earthly powers of the political elite have been (and in many regions continue to be) considered divine.
Creating Spaces for Asian Art: C. T. Loo and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, is renowned for its important collection and evocative displays of Asian art. The art dealer C. T. Loo, or Ching-Tsai Loo (Lu Qinzhai in pinyin; 1880–1957), played a pivotal role in both of these strengths.