AT THE ALLEN / FALL 2023 / 11 ON VIEW / SOUTH AMBULATORY / ONGOING RELIGIOUS ART FROM ASIA A new long-term installation of religious art fromAsia is now on view at the Allen, bringing together familiar favorites with exciting new acquisitions and recently conserved works. In response to faculty and student requests, the entire South Ambulatory is devoted to art associated with some of the great religious traditions of Asia, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, and ancient works that reflect traditional beliefs about the afterlife. Each work is described in extended labels and grouped in relation to important themes, such as the role of jade and tomb sculptures in early Chinese religion; the iconography, or symbolism, of Buddhist and Hindu art; the role of darshan, or “seeing,” in Hindu devotional practice; the use of protective religious imagery on arms and armor; and the complex role of art in Tibetan Buddhism. Current issues under discussion in the museum field are also put forward. For works of Asian religious art in museums, how can we reconcile their current presentation to many visitors as “art” with their original sacred character and devotional function? How can museums recognize the injustices of past art collecting practices and strive to be a space of stewardship and dialogue today? Organized by Kevin R. E. Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art. Chinese, Seated Buddha, probably Yàoshīfó (Bhaiṣajyaguru, Medicine Master Buddha), 11th–12th century. Bronze with traces of gilding. R. T. Miller Jr. Fund in memory of Hazel Barker King, 1961.51. ON VIEW / EAST GALLERY / ONGOING CLASS, COLONIALISM, AND (OVER)CONSUMPTION Social upheaval in the wake of the Black Death (1346–1352) lent itself to newways of understanding class and social mobility. By the 1700s, European manners and dining norms had evolved to reflect a class-based system that this installation explores. Despite religious concerns about excess consumption, owning and displaying large quantities of luxury goods was common among the upper classes, especially the colonial commodities such as chocolate, tea, and snuff. Those who fashioned themselves as “civilized” maintained their position through their access to expensive and foreign goods that the lower classes only interacted with through servitude. Organized by Professor EllenWurtzel’s class Lords, Peasants, and Pigs on Trial. Royal Saxon Porcelain Manufactory (Dresden, German), Meissen Soup Tureen with Cover, c. 1761. Glazed and painted porcelain. R. T. Miller Jr. Fund, 1948.70A-B.
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