Exhibitions 21 50 YEARS 50 TREASURES


In January 1974, the art collector Hans-Wilhelm Siegel (1903-1997) founded the non-profit Oriental Endowment for the Promotion of East Asian Art in Cologne. Te endowment’s fund came from the proceeds Siegel received from the sale of his important collection of Chinese and Southeast Asian art objects to the city of Cologne. Te collection was built during his five decades as a businessman in East Asia. Siegel’s patronage inspired other collectors to establish art foundations that are now an integral part of Cologne’s museum landscape. To mark the 50th anniversary, the exhibition presents 50 selected works from the Siegel Collection, as well as acquisitions that have since been financed with the earnings of the endowment’s capital for the Museum of East Asian Art. Chinese art has been the


focus of acquisitions to date. Large-format Buddhist sculptures, archaic bronze sacrificial vessels, early ceramics, imperial porcelain and paintings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, internationally recognised as the best representatives of their genres, have so far been acquired. Some of these donations are being shown to the public for the first time in this exhibition, including a filigree jade bowl in the shape of a lotus blossom, erotic album


Seated Bodhisattva Guanyin, China, Song/Yuan dynasty, 12th/13th century


Pair of drinking bowls, porcelain with enamel colours, China, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735)


Buddhist ritual thunderbolt (vajra), fire-gilded bronze, Japan, Edo period, 18th century


pages, and furniture from a scholar’s studio. Among the Japanese


objects, an almost six-metres- long scroll with sketches for 18 ritual mandalas from the secret teachings of Shingon Buddhism and several avant-garde calligraphies by Inoue Yuichi (1916-1985) are highlights of the section.


In its golden jubilee year, the


Oriental Endowment has now expanded its range of acquisitions to include Korean art and donated two works by contemporary ceramist Young-Jae Lee to the museum.


• Until 29 September, Museum of Asian Art, Cologne,


museum-fur-ostasiatische-kunst.de LACQUERWARE OF EAST ASIA


Installation view of the exhibition of lacquerware from Korea, China, and Japan


Comb box with a phoenix, flower, bird and pine tree design, mother-of-pearl inlay, late 18th/19th century, late Joseon period, the National Museum of Korea


• Until 22 September, National Museum of Korea, Seoul, museum.go.kr


Te National Museum of Korea presents a special exhibition in collaboration with the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of China. To promote friendship and appreciation among these three neighbouring countries, the exhibition takes place every two years, rotating between the institutions. Tis fifth joint special exhibition focuses on the art of lacquer. Lacquerware is a representative craft of Asia, where Korea, Japan, and China have each perfected it in their distinctive styles: mother-of-pearl lacquerware, maki-e lacquerware, and carved lacquerware, respectively. Te exhibition brings together 46 examples from across the museums’ collections from the 14th to 19th centuries, showcasing the three countries’ unique decorative techniques of gluing, sprinkling, and carving, as well as their original and spectacular shapes, colours, and patterns.


Cabinet with landscape and figure design, carved lacquerware, 18th century, Qing dynasty, China, National Museum of China


ASIAN ART | SEPTEMBER 2024


Sutra box with lotus pond design, maki-e, 15th century, Japan, Tokyo National Museum


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