Four millennia of stunning bronze art is to go on show at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in their major autumn exhibition this September.
The pieces are all from Asia and they span from the prehistoric period to the present day, and they come from countries including India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal and Korea.
From statues of gods to objects for ritual and everyday use, these incredible crafted pieces have been made over centuries to deliberately captivate the imagination through sonorous bells, bright reflective mirrors and sinuous shapes that were uniquely suited to the medium of bronze.
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Visitors will have the rich legacy of Asian bronze artistry — starting from around 2000 BC — brought to life for them, and you’ll get to discover the unique qualities of bronze throughout Asia’s history.
The exhibition is titled Asian Bronze. 4,000 Years of Beauty and what makes the show really special is that many of the works have rarely been seen outside of Asia.
Nearly all of the items going on display — there’s 75 in total — are being shown in the Netherlands for the very first time. But over 15 of them have in fact never been seen in Europe before.
The scale of collaboration is impressive, with six museums lending works to the exhibition.
The National Museum in Bangkok is loaning six works, including Buddha under Naga's hood, which is leaving Thailand for the first time since it was cast in the 12th or 13th century. Elsewhere from Bangkok, the Museum of Contemporary Art is also sending precious items.
Other loans come from India’s National Museum in New Delhi, and Pakistan’s National Museum in Karachi.
The masterpieces from Asia will be complemented by items from Europe and North America too, as well as treasures the Rijksmuseum already has. A highlight will be the recently acquired statue of Guhyasamaya Aksobhya from Tibet in the 15th century which the museum is showing for the first time.
“Never before has the Rijksmuseum collaborated with Asian countries on such a large scale” Taco Dibbits, General Director of the Rijksmuseum said.
“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.”
Access to Asian Bronze is included with general admission tickets to the Rijksmuseum. That’s €22,50 for adults. Entry is free for ages 18 and under as well as for Friends of the Rijksmuseum.
The museum is the perfect home for the show. The collection of Asian art in the Rijksmuseum contains about 8,000 objects in total.
Asian Bronze. 4000 Years of Beauty, supported by the Bagri Foundation, runs at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam from 27 September 2024 until 12 January 2025.
— Going to visit the show? Why not check out these other must-see exhibitions in the Netherlands in 2024, or make a short train trip to see the best museums in the Hague?
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