Scientific Research in the Field of Asian Art

Paul Jett, John Winter, Janet Douglas, Blythe McCarthy (eds)

ISBN: 1-873132-38-7 • 2003 • $85 • Cloth

The vast realm of Asian Art stretches in time from the neolithic to the present and in space from the edge of Europe eastwards to the tip of North America and south from the Arctic Circle to the Equator. Scientific research into Asian Art reveals a small but important part of the whole - helping to bring back to life the artists and artisans of the area.

Scientific research into works of Asian art at the Freer Gallery began with R.J. Gettens in 1951. The papers presented in this volume are a celebration of 50 years research in this field at the Freer. The subjects of study include Chinese bronze and iron, Himalayan, and Cambodian sculpture; Japanese paintings; jewelry from East Asia to Europe; jade, feathers, glass,amber and tiles.

These proceedings are the papers chosen for a symposium held at the Freer Gallery of Art in the fall of 2001. The timing of the symposium was intended to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the pursuit of scientific research at the Freer. The aim was to survey the current state of scientific research in the field and to bring together researchers from Asia, Europe, and America. It is divided into five sections : Ornament; Bronze and Iron in China; Metalworking traditions; Paintings; Glass, Jade and Ceramics.