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The Eastern and Western poles on either side of the world are thousands of miles apart, but, be it through exploration, business travel, great political or military conflict, or even unexpected, accidental contact, exchanges between the art and culture of the East and those of the West are constantly underway. Before the 17th and 18th centuries the peoples on the Eastern and Western sides of the world may have been using the same household utensils, and may equally have been captivated by the same decorative forms. The comings and goings of 17th and 18th century missionaries further deepened the extensive contact between East and West. This varied contact, enabling each side to see the world beyond itself, also caused Asia’s pre-existing culture to suffer a wave of a new kind of onslaughts from Western currents.
Double-gourd vase with pattern design in polychrome enamels, with rotating
interior and openwork pattern Ching-te-chen ware, porcelain
Ch’ing dynasty, Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-1795)
Wooden layered stem cup
South Germany
17th century
Ivory hat stand with set of concentric ivory balls with human figures in openwork relief
Ch’ing dynasty, 19th century
When East meets West
What does Asia look like to Western eyes? And what is the West’s appeal to Asia? Through artifacts we can sense that the past once existed and that the present continues: they are part of the story of mutual encounters, exchanges and acquaintanceship between East and West.
Map of Asia
Johann Weigel & Adam F. Zurner, 1729
Chessboard with floral pattern of the seasons
Ch’ing dynasty, 18th century
Asia’s new Asia
The collision of East and West caused qualitative changes of varying degrees and scope within Asia. From artifacts produced in the East, we can observe how Asia absorbed cultures from outside, and converted the influence of the West into a source of inspiration for artistic innovation, forging in Asia a, “new dialogue,” with, “old traditions.”