18 Bronzes


Figure of Sita, bronze, height 65 cm, Chola period, (880-1279), 11th century, Tamil Nadu, India, Linden Museum, Stuttgart


Large standing Bodhisattva, China, 1403-1424, gilt bronze, Musée Cernuschi, Paris


Yashoda with the Infant Krishna, India, Chola period


early 12th century, copper alloy, height 44.5 cm, Tamil Nadu, India, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York


T


his autumn, the Rijksmuseum is presenting 75 works spanning 4,000 years of Asian bronze art,


from statues of gods to objects for ritual and everyday use, with a focus on the forms and techniques that are often unique to the regions in which the objects were made. Co-curated by Ching-Ling Wang,


Curator of


Chinese Art, the exhibition aims to use the objects to stimulate the senses and captivate the imagination in the form of sonorous bells, bright reflective mirrors, and sinuous shapes that were uniquely suited to the medium of bronze. Te qualities of bronze and the ingenious methods used to cast and work it in different parts of Asia are also highlighted in the exhibition. It also aims to underscore points of


comparison and illuminate historical developments over time. While not attempting to be complete, the dual spotlight on history and material highlights the beauty of this selection of masterpieces, to reveal the different qualities of bronze exploited by artisans and artists in Asia. Te exhibition is not just about the past, it also demonstrates that bronze continues to play an important role in art, religion, and everyday life in Asia today. Rather than a geographical or


chronological arrangement, the selected works are presented thematically, representing the following five categories: Material and Materiality, Casting Techniques, Holy and Religious Contexts, Qualities of Bronze, and Modern and Contemporary Asian Bronze Works. Te selection highlights the most


outstanding examples of bronze casting found in Asia, from prehistoric artefacts to contemporary artworks, from India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Tailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, and Korea. Most of these works are on display in the Netherlands for the first time and more than 15 of them have never been shown in Europe before. By


grouping bronzes from many


different countries together under several common themes, the exhibition shows how different areas were nevertheless connected through


ASIAN ART | SEPTEMBER 2024 |


human exchanges and to illuminate historical developments over time. Tis approach aims to underscore points of comparison, but also to show the unique characteristics and achievements of each production centre. By exploring the beauty of masterpieces individually, the viewer can begin to appreciate the different qualities


of bronze exploited by


artisans and artists across Asia. Te show also reveals the various ways in which bronze was employed to not only the appeal to the senses, but also as a presence in daily life. It is this skilled craftsmanship, combined with creative designs, that makes these intricate,


technically


ASIAN BRONZE


mixture of metals with its base being copper, a metal used by some of the earliest civilisations. Te addition of tin, sometimes combined with other metals,


produces bronze. Tin, in demanding,


bronze pieces resonate with the viewer and which can help connect us to their makers and users, whether 4,000 ago, or in the present. Tis approach allows the exhibition


to reveal the products of bronze casting from its earliest prehistoric and protohistoric origins through to modern and contemporary creations. Te focus on technique underscores the mastery and skill involved in the intricate artistry of bronze statuary, while objects


related to holy and


religious contexts, introduce the theme of exchange, and the cultural interactions and


influences


contributed to the diverse expressions of this ancient craft across the continent. Te first two sections deal with the


materiality of bronze and casting techniques. Bronze is not a material that occurs naturally – it is an alloy, a


Bronzes can stimulate the senses and capture the imagination


#AsianArtPaper | that


particular is relatively rare, making bronze a precious material. Bronze is versatile because the casting process allows it to be shaped and used in thousands of different ways. However, it is also demanding: the material must be carefully mixed and heated to its melting point, cast before it solidifies, and cooled at the right rate. Finishing the piece also requires a great deal of technical knowledge, information that is often passed down from generation to generation, from master to apprentice. Initially, techniques were developed throughout


independently Asia.


Travel, along with interactions through religion, trade, and even wars facilitated cultural exchange. Bronze objects travelled along these routes, spreading new styles and techniques. Each of these regions developed distinct casting methods and decorations. It is this interplay between mutual exchange and adherence to local traditions that led to the creation of extraordinary bronze works. To this day, these masterpieces bear witness to a network of flourishing interwoven cultures. Numerous artefacts from ancient imbued with


times were ritual


significance, ultimately leading to the creation of expansive and large-scale religious statuary. Artisans deliberately chose to use bronze, an inherently precious material, for both ritual purposes and representations of the divine holds profound importance. Statues of the Buddha, Shiva and Vishnu, among other images, is how the idea of heaven and celestial beings and deities were often depicted in bronze on earth, the worldly realm.


asianartnewspaper | asianartnewspaper |


Lobster shaped incense burner, Japan, 19th-20th century, Musée Cernuschi, Paris


Te third section shows


masterpieces of bronze statues from across Asia. Statues of gods, grave goods, and mythical creatures all have a superhuman dimension. Bronze is ideally suited for making religious and ritual objects. Te material has a rich lustre and, because it is cast, can take on almost any shape imaginable. Different regions developed their own techniques for immortalising their visions of religion in a tangible form. Bronze is also strong and durable, perfect for objects that were routinely transported, washed, and touched during rituals and religious festivals. Provided it is well preserved, the hard- wearing material


will last for


millennia. Te next galleries focus on different


senses: taste, visual, hearing, and touch. Bronze is for example ideally suited for producing sound, whether for signalling or music. Some of the instruments were crafted to summon large groups of people, for instance to temple ceremonies and battles, or even to conjure up rain. Another example is the use of bronze weapons. Te weapons and tools on display were created long before iron versions became widely adopted. Te logical choice would be bronze, as the metal


Asian Art Newspaper


Shiva Nataraja, India, circa 1100-1200, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, on loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24