After 8 years and $350 million, the Cleveland Museum of Art has–finally!–completed its ambitious renovations. The long awaited (by me) opening of the new West Wing’s China, India and Southeast Asia collections means all collections are once again on view after the long hiatus.
I am a fervent admirer of Asian art, especially painting, so I stomped through the new galleries with intense satisfaction. The afternoon sun was most welcome after the recent winter freeze.
Sunlit part of newly opened West Wing
The influence of Asian art on the West during the 19th century is well known. Europe’s exposure to Asian painting and printmaking ignited those trends that came to be called ‘modern art’ (I’m painting with a broad brush here), and continues, in my view, to exert influence–on the good parts, at any rate.
So, as you might imagine, I was in hog heaven as I made my West Wing tour. Most of the objects were new to me. This painting by Wen Zhengming is very interesting, although I could have reproduced any number of other equally good paintings.
Playing the Zither in a Secluded Valley, by Wen Zhengming,1548
My only disappointment–minor, really–was the small number of paintings displayed compared to the ceramics and sculpture. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both of those but my passion is painting.
[As usual, photos mine, any reproduced art is copyright the artists or owners.]