'Asian Bronze. 4,000 years of beauty' at the Rijksmuseum
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Anthropomorphic Figure, Gangetic Plain, India, c. 1500–1000 BCE. Photo: Rijksmuseum/Erik and Petra Hesmerg
AMSTERDAM- In the exhibition Asian Bronze. 4,000 years of beauty, the Rijksmuseum brings together more than 75 bronze masterpieces, from prehistoric artefacts to contemporary artworks, from India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, 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. Statues of the Buddha, Shiva and Vishnu, among other images, impressively show how heaven was often depicted in bronze on earth. All the senses are stimulated by bronze mirrors, weapons, bells, wine vessels and incense burners, often spectacularly depicted in the shape of lions, elephants or mythical creatures. The exhibition runs from September 27, 2024 to January 12, 2025 in the Rijksmuseum.
'Never before has the Rijksmuseum collaborated with Asian countries on such a large scale. We are grateful that we can show many unique masterpieces in Europe for the first time. The skill and creativity of the ancient artisans inspires deep admiration for their unparalleled artistic talent.' Taco Dibbits, General Director Rijksmuseum.
For the first time
The exhibition features works from six museums in various Asian countries. The National Museum in Bangkok, for example, has loaned six works, including Buddha seated under the hood of a seven-headed nāga, which is leaving Thailand for the first time since it was cast in the 12th or 13th century. Works will also come from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Bangkok. Other loans come from India (National Museum, New Delhi; Bihar Museum, Patna), Indonesia (Museum Sonobudoyo, Yogyakarta) and Pakistan (National Museum, Karachi).
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Buddha under Naga's hood, Thailand, 12th-13th century. National Museum, Bangkok. Photo: Rijksmuseum/Erik and Petra Hesmerg
Famous collections
In addition to the artworks from Asian museums, the exhibition features masterpieces from collections in Europe and the United States. These exhibits include a wine vessel in the form of an elephant (China, Shang dynasty, 18th-11th century BCE) from the Musée Guimet, Paris, and the figure of Yashoda with the Infant Krishna (India, 12th century CE) from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The exhibition also presents several works from the Rijksmuseum’s own Asian collection, including Shiva Nataraja (India, 12th century CE) and the recently acquired statue of Guhyasamaja Aksobhya (Tibet, 15th century CE), which will be on view for the first time.
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Wine vessel in the form of an Elephant, China, Shang dynasty, 18th - 11th century BC. Musée Guimet, Paris.
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Yashoda with the Infant Krishna, India, 12th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
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Shiva Nataraja, India, c. 1100-1200. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands)
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Guhyasamaja Akshobhya, Tibet, 15th century. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
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Bodhisattva, China, Ming dynasty, Yongle period, 1403-1424. Musée Cernuschi, Paris.
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Lobster shaped Incense burner, Japan, 19th-20th century. Musée Cernuschi, Paris.
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Horse and servant, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 2nd - 3rd century. Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne.
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Sita, India, 11th century. Linden Museum, Stuttgart.
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Censers in the shape of mythological creatures called nghê, Vietnam. Lê dynasty (1425-1788), Musée départemental des arts asiatiques, Nice.
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Musical Rhythm, Thailand, 1949. Museum of Contemporary Art, Bangkok.
Research
The Rijksmuseum holds a large collection of bronze figures from Asia. We conduct extensive research into these objects, to gather new knowledge on the composition of the bronze itself as well as the various casting techniques and other processes involved in their manufacture. The results of this research form the basis of this exhibition, which is also an opportunity to situate our collection in an international context.
Design
Dutch designer Aldo Bakker (1971) designs the exhibition. He previously designed the exhibition Small Wonders in the Rijksmuseum. Irma Boom is responsible for the graphic design.