By Dean Gregory, to Museum Spotlight Europe (June 2020)
The Guimet Museum in Paris, Museum for East Asian Art and Museum of Five Continents in Germany, and the MAK Museum in Vienna showcase wonderful collections of art and antiquities from the East. Visitors of Europe typically view the wonders of Asian art in esteemed institutions such as Le Louvre in Paris, the British Museum in London or the Museum für Asiatische Kunst in Berlin. However, the former institutions, or lesser known museums, offer a unique lens into the treasures of Asia.
Intro to Asian Art
Asian art abounds through a variety of media over millennia in various countries and cultures. Arguably, the most sophisticated form of Asian art is calligraphy, but also includes shrines, temples, landscapes, jades, ceramics, jades, bronzes and prints. Geographically, the art originates from counties and regions such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The impact of Asian art, though, is not limited to the region nor the past, as its influence is seen in contemporary times worldwide through art festivals, museums, biennials, triennials, and special exhibitions. It also influences fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and the works of Takashi Murakami and Zhang Xiaogang.
Musée Guimet, Paris
The Guimet Museum in Paris features an array of exquisite works of Asian art from across the region. Highlights of the collection include works from Hellenic times in the Greco-Buddhist tradition including a Gandhara Buddha sculpture, decorative scrolls from Afghanistan, and a Standing Buddha sculpture from the same area. Chinese art is well-represented by a porcelain vase from the Ming Dynasty and the painting, Bodhisattva Who Leads the Way. In addition, representations of Buddha and Bodhisattvas from India over the span of 10 centuries provide a lens into the artistic traditions of the subcontinent. Established by the eminent industrialist Émile Étienne Guimetin in Lyon, France, in 1879, the collection was moved to the French capital two years later in 1889. Located in the 16th arrondissement, on the right bank of Paris, Musée Guimet is easily accessible by metro, taxi and pedestrian walkways.
Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln, Cologne
The Museum for East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany abounds with remarkable works from China, Korea and Japan. Hallmarks in the collection from China include a Buddhist stone sculpture from the 6th century as well as wood pieces from the 11th and 12th centuries. Works from Japan pivot on calligraphy, ink painting, screen painting as well as Buddhist painting and sculpture. Korean works focus on Buddhist pictures, pottery and bronze works. Founded in 1913 by Adolf Fischer and his spouse Frieda, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln features architectural styles and designs from Asia. The museum’s new building was designed in the 1960s by Kunio Maekwawa, a Japanese architect and student of Le Corbusier. Located in the verdant Hiroshima-Nagasaki Park, adjacent to the charming Belgian neighborhood, the museum is easily reached by tram, taxi and pedestrian walkway.
The Museum Fünf Kontinente, Munich
South of Cologne and down the Rhine River, the Museum of Five Continents in Munich houses an extraordinary collection of artwork from India, East Asia and the Islamic world. Prominent works from the collection include a hall dedicated to renderings of Buddha, an ivory model of a pagoda from the emperor of China, and statues of Krishna and Shiva. Positioned in central Munich, adjacent to the Glyptothek, the institution is easily accessible by foot, taxi or public transportation. Like other museums in the city, the Museum of Five Continents offers a generous 1 Euro admission fee on Sundays, making it a great value for families.
The Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna
East of Munich and along the Danube River, the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK Museum) in Vienna boasts resplendent works of porcelain and creams from China and Japan. Highlights from the museum include tea ceramics from China’s Kangxi-period, a porcelain painting of Mount Fuji from the 19th century by the Japanese painter Kawamoto Masakichi, and an assortment of Japanese lacquer objects from the Meiji period. Further, the katagami collection of 10,000 objects is one of the most seminal collections worldwide. The MAK was established in 1863 by an imperial decree from Emperor Franz Joseph during the era of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Located in central Vienna, the MAK is reached easily by public transportation, taxi and pedestrian walkway.
More Asian Art in Europe
Continuing east along the Danube from Vienna to Budapest, the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts offers a unique collection of works from the Far East. In Rome, Italy the Museo Orientale provides a glimpse into the art of Asia. Across the Adriatic Sea from the Italian Peninsula on the Greek Island of Corfu, the Corfu Museum of Asian Art offers an elegant look into the works from Asia in a majestic setting.
Wilhelm Heine (b. 1827)
Longing Japan, 1872-73
Oil on canvas
© Photo: Five Continents Museum, Nicolai Kästner
