Colourful painted portrait of a man with a beard wearing a jeweled turban. He is writing a letter with a feather pen on a desk full of items. The background is a simple green ground and blue sky embellished with landmarks of different cities and other objects.
Global Arts, Cultures & Design

Asia

Our collections from Asia represent its cultural diversity. More than 50,000 items from across the continent allow an insight into artistic exchange, trade relations, imperial histories and religious beliefs.

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Asia stories

  1. Detail of a painting depicting two women sitting on a mat working with textiles
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    A closer look at a Korean scroll painting

    In our collection we have six Korean hanging scrolls that all date from the beginning of the 20th century. This was a time of great change that marked the end of the long-running Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910) and the beginning of the…
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  2. Detail of a long rectangular painting depicting flowers
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    Exploring painting styles of Korean hanging scrolls

    In our collection we have six Korean hanging scrolls that all date from the beginning of the 20th century. This was a time of great change that marked the end of the long-running Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910) and the beginning of the…
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  3. A large ceramic bowl with colourful decorative scenes of flowers and landscapes.
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    An introduction to our Chinese collection

    From ancient ceramics to imperial jade, oracle bones to contemporary propaganda posters, our Chinese collection spans over four thousand years and includes around 21,000 items.
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