Tastes in Asian Art

Some of the most significant works in SDMA's extensive Asian collection form part of this rotating exhibition in the Museum's Asian Court. The latest and final rotation features new works, including a 14th-century Chinese hanging scroll, a Thangka painting displayed on the Tibetan art deck, and a series of Mingei fans from Japan.

Bringing back popular works, while introducing new and rarely exhibited works, Tastes in Asian Art explores the diverse tastes of different social groups—the imperial ruling class, scholars, warriors, and common people—and features separate sections devoted to religious and Persian art.

Over the last millennium, the prevalent social groups in various Asian cultures each developed their own unique predilections in art. The warriors, for example, preferred the gaudy and flamboyant, while scholars took joy in the refined. The wealthy imperial court more frequently used expensive and rare materials—such as jade and cloisonné—but folk art, typically based on natural materials, is characterized by its modest aesthetics.

In addition to these four tastes, religious art comprises a major and distinctive section of the installation, which includes examples demonstrating the cross-cultural influence of Buddhism over many centuries.

The Persian art section centers around the Museum's newly-restored Persian tile painting and includes manuscripts from Ferdowsi’s Shahnama, embroidered textiles from the 16th to 19th centuries, and ceramics from as early as the 10th century.