East Asia
Introduction
The East Asia collection comprises more than 14,000 works from China, Korea and Japan, from ritual bronzes from the Shang Dynasty (approx. 1600-1046 BC) all the way to contemporary video art. The main areas of focus are Japanese coloured woodcuts, dyeing stencils, ceramics, lacquerware, painting and sword ornaments from the Edo period (1615–1868), as well as outstanding Chinese porcelain from the Imperial Workshops. Generous donations from Hamburg citizens like Harold and Ingeborg Hartog, Jan Philipp Reemtsma, Marianne Gierok and Gerhard Schack enrich the collection on the 1st and 2nd floors.
Image
Große Dose mit drei Drachen und den Attributen der Acht Unsterblichen, China, Qianlong-Ära (1736-1795), MK&G, Public Domain
Favourite objects
Kanne in Form eines Schriftzeichens, China, Kangxi-Ära (1662-1722), Foto: MK&G/Tobias Eckmann
Jug in the shape of a character
When you see the porcelain lidded jug for the first time, its unusual shape immediately catches the eye. In its flat and wide design with several openings, it takes on the shape of the character fú 福. The character, which stands for happiness, is created by separating different areas with bars so that the "writing" of the character can be traced from the lid. Created during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722), the jug is characterised by its green colour scheme, which is complemented by flowers and butterflies. Two leaf-shaped cartouches depict scenes with Daoist deities. The god of long life, Shoulao, can be seen being handed a large peach, a symbol of long life, by a boy. The bat is also a symbol of good fortune due to its pronunciation, fú 福, which is the same as fortune. However, it is not so much this recurring symbolism of luck and long life that fascinates me about this object, but its technical realisation. I enjoy imagining how the water flows through the jug and how the calligraphic writing is modelled by the flow of the water. The braided handle and spout not only emphasise the play with the material, but also the dynamic and flowing character of the jug.
Tobias Eckmann, East Asia and Islamic Art Collection
Nō-Maske, Typ Yase Otoko, Japan, Edo-Zeit (1. Hälfte 19.Jh.), Foto: MK&G, Maria Thrun
Nō mask
I am fascinated by the Nō mask as a starting point for the "cross-cultural play" of the objects in the MK&G's broad collection. Here, potentials, ruptures and disproportions are reflected in the transcultural exchange between European, East Asian and Islamic cultural areas. Nō, for example, is a form of traditional Japanese theatre that is also called "dance drama" because of its movement stylisations. Just a few rooms down the hall, Loïe Fuller, celebrated as an icon of the European dance avant-garde around 1900, moves in spirals to colourful light. She found the inspiration for her "Serpentine Dance" in Japan, among other places, and made the dancer Ōta Hisa, who came from there, a star in this country through Japanese-like compositions. Today, a direct comparison raises the question of how much exoticism and colonial marketing is inherent in such stagings of foreignness. And also: how, conversely, European dance ensembles were able to succeed on stages in Asia 100 years ago and what traces this has left behind in the present?
Stephanie Regenbrecht, Research Assistant to the Director
Japanisches Teehaus im MK&G
Japanese Tea House
My favourite object, the "hut of pure pine" caught my eye right away when I was exploring the East Asian Collection at the beginning of my time here at MK&G. The Shoseian Tea House was donated by the Urasenke Foundation Kyoto in 1978 to mark the 100th anniversary of the museum. I was surprised. A few years ago, I had gone on a trip to Japan myself and unfortunately, due to my limited time in Kyoto, I missed the famous tea ceremony on site. When I left, I said goodbye for the time being to the idea of witnessing such a ceremony. Before I knew it, my FSJ at MK&G began, and lo and behold, a real tea house, like the one in Kyoto, stood opposite me. As I then found out, the simple yet elegant hut is not only an exhibit to marvel at, but also a place where the tea ceremony is performed according to the rules of Japanese tradition. Now I have the perfect opportunity to make up for the experience I missed, so I'm sure I'll soon be sitting in the East Asian Collection enjoying a soothing bowl of tea.
Swantje Neumann, FSJ Culture Press and Public Relations
Kanne in Flaschenkürbisform, Goryeo-Zeit, 1. Hälfte 13 Jh. Seladon; glasiertes Steinzeug mit Unterglasurmalerei in Kupferrot, MK&G, Foto: Seo Heunkang (NRICH)
Bottle gourd-shaped jug
The gourd-shaped jug, acquired during the time of founding director Justus Brinckmann, is the highlight of the MK&G's Korea collection. The celadon glaze - named after the sea-green clad hero Céladon of the novel L'Astrée (1610) by Honoré d'Urfe (1567-1625) - was invented in China and perfected in Korea. The green glazes of the Goryeo period (918-1392) initially imitated Chinese forms and decorations. From the 12th century onwards, a Korean formal language and aesthetic of its own developed. Close to nature, as here in the form of a bottle gourd. What is special about this jug? The paintings under the glaze in copper red. Controlling the copper pigment is considered one of the greatest technical challenges in the production of ceramics. Individually contoured, the leaves of the lotus rise above the body of the jug. Even from the deepest swamps, the lotus grows beautifully. In Buddhism, it therefore symbolises the purity of the spirit. As one of only three examples worldwide, the jug is a must-see!
Maria Sobotka, Volunteer in the East Asia Collection
Ein Paar Genien, China, Kangxi-Arä (1662–1722), Porzellan, MK&G
Lucky genies
Bad mood? Not with these two little guys, as they embody only good things: they bestow blessings and harmony on bridal couples, ensure happiness and a long life. They are portraits of Chinese guardian spirits, created in the era of Emperor Kangxi, between 1662 and 1722. They are made of the finest porcelain with enamel colours. They belong to the so-called famille verte, a type of porcelain named after the predominant green colour. Their robes, jackets over long robes, are colourfully decorated with lucky flowers, mainly lotus, and butterflies. Their hairstyles, with knotted mop of hair on their shaved skulls, were top fashion in the Qing era, but could hold their own in the hipster scene today. Their smiles with parted lips reveal moving tongues. In their hands they hold Lingzhi tinder sponges, which have always been used as medicinal mushrooms in China and are therefore considered symbols of immortality. Even the base plates of the figures stand for well-being: Their shape resembles silver ingots, which have been the most stable means of payment in China for centuries.
Ulrike Blauth, Marketing
Teller mit Pfirsichen und Fledermäusen, China, Yongzheng-Ära (1723–35), Porzellan, Aufglasurfarben der famille rose, MK&G, Public Domain
Plate with peaches and bats
Eight peaches and five red bats are dynamically distributed over this plate. To discover them all, you have to turn it over and you can immediately admire the imperial mark "Da Qing Yongzheng Nian Zhi", "made in the Yongzheng era of the great Qing dynasty". The playful distribution of the motif and bright colour nuances on porcelain are characteristic of the Yongzheng era. The ripe fruits not only look appetising, but also symbolise long life as peaches of immortality. The fact that there are eight of them increases the desired longevity to infinity; after all, "ba" for eight sounds very similar to "fa" for success in Chinese. Bats are also regarded as a symbol of good luck in China because they sound like "fu" for blessing. Their red colour stands for abundance and happiness in life. The number five also refers to the five blessings: wealth, happiness, longevity, bliss and prosperity. So much colourful happiness is simply contagious. For me, at any rate, this favourite object is always a source of good humour.
Wibke Schrape, Curator, Head of the East Asia and Islamic Art Collection
Kanne in Bambusform, China, Kangxi-Ära (1662-1722), Porzellan mit Aufglasurfarben auf unglasiertem Scherben, Schenkung Harold und Ingeborg Hartog, MK&G
Jug in bamboo form
This jug in its nature-inspired form already fascinated me on my first tour of the exhibition "Made in China! Porcelain" exhibition. All its components - body, handle, spout and lid - are designed in the shape of a bamboo trunk. Even the lid is adorned with a short curved bamboo pole as a small handle. I imagine pouring tea with this pot. The feel must be very close to that of a bamboo. The colours also match the bamboo shape. The ceramist has painted the unglazed porcelain body with onglaze colours, which makes the colours stronger and more vibrant. Three colours - sancai in Chinese - were used for this glaze application: Yellow-Brown, Green and Blue, aptly named "Egg and Spinach" in English. The twelve bamboo stems of the vessel body vary in these colours and the individual sections show plants and birds drawn with fine black lines. Symbolically, the bamboo stands for long life and steadfastness, as it grows and flowers even in winter.
Katja Weingartshofer, Volunteer Education Department
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