News at the Yousef Jameel Online Centre

Exhibitions of South Chinese painting and Indian paintings now online (2013-11-29)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2013-11-29

Two new exhibitions, Lingnan Masters: South Chinese Painting in Transition 1800-2000 and Indian Paintings from the Simon Digby Collection, are now live on Eastern Art Online. Visitors can now access detailed information about the works currently on display in the Ashmolean’s Chinese Paintings Gallery and Eastern Art Paintings Gallery as well as zoom into high-resolution images of each object. The Museum has recently acquired the rich and unusual collection of Indian paintings from the collection of Simon Digby, a distinguished historian of India and former curator at the Ashmolean. This selection includes paintings in Rajput court styles as well as folk paintings from Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Lingnan School of painting, named after the area around the modern Guangdong province in south China, flourished in the early 20th century and is associated with experimentation and fusion of foreign styles whilst some artists have elaborated upon painting traditions. The works selected reveal transitions in Lingnan painting over the last 200 years. This special selection of Indian paintings is on display until 5th January 2014, and Lingnan Masters until 31st March 2014. After the physical displays have ended, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Tales in the round: Manjū netsuke and Japanese woodblock prints – exhibition now online (2013-07-29)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2013-07-29

The online version of the exhibition Tales in the Round: Manju Netsuke from the Ashmolean is now live. Here, visitors can zoom into high-resolution images and access detailed information about the works, currently on display in the Museum’s Eastern Art Paintings Gallery. Manjū netsuke are round button-shaped toggles used in the ensemble which hung from a man’s waist sash and included tiered medicine boxes, tobacco pouches, pipes and purses. These 50 netsuke are on display for the first time thanks to a bequest from Dr Monica Barnett, a collector for over thirty years. The exquisitely carved objects are illustrated with dramatic episodes and characters from Japanese history and popular culture: folktales, festivals, warriors, actors, and goblins to name but a few. The exhibition will be open until the 22nd September. After the physical display has ended, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely as an archived resource that can continue to be explored. A fully illustrated catalogue of the museum’s collection of manjū netsuke, describing the stories they depict in greater detail, is also available to purchase from the exhibition shop or online.

Xu Bing: Landscape Landscript - exhibition now online (2013-05-13)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2013-05-13

The online version of Xu Bing: Landscape Landscript, one of the first major exhibitions of contemporary art at the Ashmolean, and one of the first exhibitions devoted to the artist Xu Bing’s landscapes, is now live. Visitors can browse and search all objects featured in this exhibition, on display in the Ashmolean's Special Exhibitions Galleries until 19th May. As well as providing high-quality zoomable images of the objects and all available contextual information, the online exhibition also links through to multimedia content created especially for the show, featuring behind-the-scenes footage, artist interviews, curator podcasts, and other information and activities. Xu Bing has become one of China’s best-known and critically acclaimed artists, receiving various awards for his work and exhibiting around the world. His work focuses particularly on the pictorial quality of the Chinese language, which, he maintains, lies at the core of Chinese culture. It ranges across media, such as print, sculpture, installation and performance. His international success has grown in response to his ability to embed complex ideas about art and culture within accessible, playful works which engage the audience. After the physical display has ended, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored. A fully illustrated catalogue of the Xu Bing exhibition with further information is also available to purchase from the exhibition shop or online. The Ashmolean has also selected a number of works from its own collection to complement this exhibition currently on display in its Chinese Painting Gallery - the Chinese Landscapes from the Ashmolean Collection exhibition is also available on Eastern Art Online.

Sal-e now mobarak! Eastern Art Online celebrates Nowruz (Persian New Year) 1392/2013! (2013-03-21)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2013-03-21

Sal-e now mobarak! / !سال نو مبارک (Farsi for Happy New Year!) Eastern Art Online welcomes you to explore its collection of artefacts from Iran on the occasion on the Persian New Year (Nowruz)! Many of these artefacts are on display in the Ashmolean's Islamic Middle East gallery. Nowruz (literally meaning ‘New Day’) marks the beginning of the Iranian calendar, which is a solar calendar of 12 months. It is celebrated every year around the Spring Equinox (21st March) in Iran, but also in some areas of the Caucasus and Central Asia. For further information about Nowruz, please see the links on the right.

The Ashmolean Celebrates the Chinese New Year 2013 (Year of the Snake)! (2013-02-10)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2013-02-10

The Chinese Paintings Gallery holds a new exhibition of Chinese Landscapes from the Ashmolean Collection to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2013 (the Year of the Snake). This year, the Museum’s engagement with Chinese art and culture starts with its first exhibition programme on contemporary art: Xu Bing: Landscape Landscript. A series of programmes can be found here. According to popular thought in the Chinese zodiac, the Snake is considered a small Chinese ‘dragon’, whose power brings people good fortune. In legends and stories, snakes are intellectual creatures that are able to transform into human beauties after thousands of years of Daoist practice. The Legend of White Snake is such an example.

Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan - complete exhibition now online! (2012-12-21)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2012-12-21

From the thickest of satins, plain or decorated with designs in brocade, to the most gossamer-like gauzes, every combination of silk and gold thread has been carried to perfection…’ (Sir Rutherford Alcock, Art and Art Industries of Japan, 1878) The online version of the Threads of Silk and Gold is now fully live, providing a taste of the exhibition currently on display in the Ashmolean's Special Exhibitions Galleries, it enables visitors to browse and search all exhibition objects and their high-quality zoomable images and information online. Many of us are aware of the beauty of the traditional Japanese kimono. Threads of Silk and Gold introduces the less well known but equally spectacular ornamental textiles that were made for western homes during Japan’s Meiji era (1868–1912). This was the famous period of Japonisme, which saw the European Impressionist painters exploring themes and styles taken from Japanese art, and Victorian rooms filled with Japanese decorative arts and crafts. A fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition with further information is also available to purchase from the exhibition shop or online. After the physical display of this exhibition ends, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Exceptional embroidered sitarah made for tomb of the Prophet Muhammad now on display (2012-04-30)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2012-04-30

An exceptional embroidered sitarah (curtain) made for the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina is now on permanent display at the Ashmolean’s Gallery of Islamic Middle East. The sitarah was commissioned by the Ottoman sultan Selim III in AH 1206/AD 1791-1792, following a centuries-old tradition maintained by the Ottomans after they gained control of the Hijaz and the Haramayn (holy sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina) from the Mamluks in 1517. Similar textiles were made and presented yearly during the processions associated with the hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The curtain was generously donated by Dr. Nasser D. Khalili, a dedicated collector and passionate scholar of Islamic art whose collection is among the largest and most comprehensive in the world.

Al-Qur’an al-Karim: Sacred Verses, Beautiful Pages - exhibition now online (2012-03-08)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2012-03-08

Discover the Qur’an as a source of artistic inspiration and expression in this selection of works on paper from the early centuries of Islam to the present day. The online version of the Al-Qur’an al-Karim: Sacred Verses, Beautiful Pages exhibition is now live, providing additional information about the works currently on display in the Ashmolean's Eastern Art Paintings Gallery, including zoom-able high-resolution images, detailed information about each art work, as well extended versions of the descriptive labels from the exhibition. The online exhibition also includes a number of related items not on display in the physical exhibition. The Qur’an, the holy book of Muslims, lies at the heart of Islam’s religious experience as much as at the root of its artistic inspiration. Indeed, it is in order to preserve and disseminate the word of God that artistic practices such as Islamic calligraphy and book illumination were first developed. Al-Qur’an al-Karim: Sacred Verses, Beautiful Pages explores the spiritual and creative forces that converge in the act of copying the noblest of Islamic texts. The exhibition brings together pages from dispersed Qur’ans, a variety of Qur’anic book formats, and contemporary interpretations of Qur’anic verses from the collections of the Ashmolean Museum, the Bodleian Libraries, and Christopher T. Gandy. Through these examples, the viewer can explore the material and stylistic features of the Qur’an, consider the artistic practices and spiritual implications leading to its reproduction, and witness the ingenious responses offered by Muslim artists to specific needs in various times and places. After the physical display of this exhibition ends, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Visions of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin - exhibition now online (2012-02-07)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2012-02-07

Explore the remarkable collection of Indian paintings and drawings of the artist Howard Hodgkin, shown for the first time in its entirety at the Ashmolean. The online version of the Visions of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin exhibition is now live, to provide a taste of the exhibition on display in the Ashmolean's Special Exhibition Galleries, including zoom-able high-resolution images and detailed information about each art work. A fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition with further information is also available to purchase from the exhibition shop or online here. The artist Howard Hodgkin has been a devoted collector of Indian paintings since his schooldays in the late 1940s. Progressively refined over the years, his collection has grown slowly but steadily and has long been considered one of the finest in the world. It is above all a personal collection, formed by an artist’s eye, but comprises most of the main Indian court styles that flourished during the Mughal period (c.1560-1858). After the physical display of this exhibition ends, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Beauties and Heroes: Legends and Stories in Chinese Art - exhibition now online (2012-01-21)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2012-01-21

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with the paintings, prints and papercuts depicting legendary figures from Chinese folklore. The online version of the Beauties and Heroes: Legends and Stories in Chinese Art exhibition is now live, providing additional information about the works currently on display in the Ashmolean's Chinese Paintings Gallery, including zoom-able high-resolution images, detailed information about each art work, as well the descriptive labels from the exhibition. Legends and stories have been represented in houses, temples and tombs for more than 2000 years in China. These images of beauties and heroes are not realistic portraits, but illustrate scenes of classic literature, frozen moments of theatrical plays, or snapshots of imaginary worlds in folklore. Many of these paintings serve a similar function to traditional Chinese performance art to teach history and moral standards. Some are closely connected to festivals, such as the New Year celebration, as a way to bring good fortune. After the physical display of this exhibition ends, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Yakusha-e: Kabuki Prints, a Continuing Tradition - exhibition now online (2011-11-29)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-11-29

Discover the brightly coloured actors from Japanese popular theatre depicted by woodblock print artists over the centuries. The online version of the Yakusha-e: Kabuki Prints, a Continuing Tradition exhibition is now live, providing additional information about the works currently on display in the Ashmolean's Eastern Art Paintings Gallery, including zoom-able high-resolution images, detailed information about each art work, as well reproducing the descriptive labels from the exhibition Kabuki, Japan’s popular theatre, has entertained audiences since the early 1600s. Leading kabuki actors became celebrities with massive fan clubs, and there was a huge demand for images of famous actors in their colourful costumes and dramatic make-up. These brightly-coloured woodblock prints of actors were known as ‘yakusha-e’. They often show actors striking an intense pose known as a ‘mie’. This exhibition displays yakusha-e by 19th century print designers Utagawa Kunisada (1786 - 1864) and Toyohara Kunichika (1835 - 1900), alongside a recently-acquired group of woodblock prints by contemporary Japanese printmaker Tsuruya Kōkei (b. 1946). After the physical display of this exhibition ends, the web-based version of the exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Salam Ma'al Hijra! Eastern Art Online celebrates Islamic New Year AH 1433! (2011-11-25)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-11-25

Salam Ma'al Hijra! Eastern Art Online welcomes you to explore its collection of artworks from the Islamic World on the occasion of the Islamic New Year (AH 1433), which falls on November 26, 2011. The Islamic New Year or Ra’s al-Sana al-Hijriyya marks the beginning of a new Islamic calendar year and falls on the first day of the month of Muharram, one of the most important and sacred months in Islam. The Islamic or Hijri calendar began in 622 AD, the year of the Prophet Muhammad’s migration (hijra) from Mecca to Medina. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar of 12 months which is not aligned with the seasons. Thus, the first day of the year does not fall always on the same day every year as in the Gregorian calendar. For more information, please see the links on the right.

The Hajj - Explore artefacts from the Islamic World (2011-11-04)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-11-04

Eastern Art Online welcomes you to explore its collection of artefacts from the Islamic World on the occasion on the Hajj season. Many of these pieces are on display in the Ashmolean's Islamic Middle East gallery. The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca – the fifth pillar of Islam – which every Muslim, who is physically able and can afford to do so, should perform at least once in a lifetime. The pilgrimage is performed during the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar, called Dhu al-Hijjah. The actual visit to the Holy places takes place between the 8th and 12th of the month, which this year corresponds to 4th-8th November 2011. For further information about the Hajj please see the links on the right.

The William Cohn Memorial Lecture: The Body Adorned - To the Divine Through Beauty (2011-11-02)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-11-02

The 42nd William Cohn Memorial Lecture The Body Adorned: To the Divine Through Beauty with Vidya Dehejia, Barbara Stoller Miller Professor of Indian and South Asian Art, Columbia University, New York Theatre. Tue 8 Nov 2011, 5-6pm, at the Taylor Institution, main lecture theatre Over centuries the sensuous bodily form, female and male, human and divine, has been a dominant feature in Indian artistic tradition. From seductive stone dancers on temple walls, to exquisitely formed bronze divinities. Prof Dehejia discusses the tradition of the idealised and decorated body in Indian art and its relation to courtly literature and poetry; and reveals a harmony between the sacred and profane in classical Indian culture. Free, for further information please contact: eastern.art@ashmus.ac.ox.uk Tel: 01865 288001

Eastern Art Online celebrates Diwali 2011 (2011-10-26)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-10-26

Eastern Art Online welcomes you to explore its collection of artefacts from India during the festival of Diwali. Many of these artefacts are on display in the Ashmolean's India galleries. In 2011 Diwali begins on Wednesday 26th October. The Hindu festival of Diwali (or Dipavali: 'row of lamps') is celebrated throughout India in the month of Kartika (October-November) and lasts for five days. On the first day, the goddesses Parvati and Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) are invited to bring blessings and prosperity to homes and businesses. On the second day, dice games are often played. The third day, the full moon, commemorates Vishnu's victory over the demon king Bali, and further worship of Lakshmi takes place. On the fourth day, the real Diwali, numerous little clay oil-lamps are lit and laid in rows along the walls and terraces of houses, to mark Rama's triumphal return to Ayodhya at the end of the Ramayana epic. On the fifth day, named after Yama, ruler of the dead, men of the household customarily dine with their sisters or other female relatives and receive presents. For further information about Diwali, please see the links on the right.

Welcome to Ramadan - Eastern Art Online invites you to explore its collection of artefacts from the Islamic World (2011-08-01)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-08-01

Eastern Art Online welcomes you to explore its collection of artefacts from the Islamic World on the occasion on Ramadan. Many of these artefacts are on display in the Ashmolean's Islamic Middle East gallery, there is also an Islamic Ceramics trail to follow, an online version the publication Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Eqypt by Marianne Ellis to explore, as well as other related material to discover on the site. Ramadan (also known as Ramadhan or Ramzan) is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and, according to the Qur’an, the month when the revelation to Muhammad began. For Muslims it is a period of prayer, fasting, and charity-giving. As the Islamic calendar is lunar rather than solar, the month of Ramadan changes its location in respect to the Gregorian calendar every year. In 2011, Ramadan falls between 1st and 29th August. The end of the month is marked by the celebrations of ‘Eid al-Fitr (‘Festival of the breaking of the fast’). For further information about Ramadan, please see the links on the right.

Cultural Revolution: State Graphics in China in the 1960s and 1970s (II) - exhibition now online (2011-07-20)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-07-20

Explore more of the bold and colourful imagery and slogans featured on posters, papercuts and even matchboxes during the Cultural Revolution in China.The online version of the Cultural Revolution: State Graphics in China in the 1960s and 1970s (II) exhibition is now live.Eastern Art Online presents the next instalment of an extended version of the Cultural Revolution exhibition, providing additional information about the works currently on display in the Ashmolean's Eastern Art Paintings Gallery, including zoom-able high-resolution images, as well as a considerable amount of further contextual material. This is the second of a two-part exhibition on the Cultural Revolution (the first part is still available online), also complemented by a concurrent exhibition of art from the same period, Cultural Revolution: Art in China in the 1960s and 1970s, in the Chinese Paintings Gallery. After the physical display of all these exhibitions ends, the web-based versions of the exhibitions will remain online indefinitely, as archived resources that can continue to be explored.

Cultural Revolution: State Graphics in China in the 1960s and 1970s (I) - exhibition now online (2011-04-08)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-04-08

In 1942 Mao Zedong declared that all art and literature should serve politics first and art second. This policy was implemented for nearly four decades, most rigorously during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). In that period, the appearance of individual expression in works of art was discouraged and denounced. Cinema, theatre and musical performances were limited to a handful of ‘model’ productions imposed by Mao’s wife Jiang Qing. Paintings and calligraphy were mostly produced collaboratively or anonymously. Visual imagery of the leader and his state propaganda appeared everywhere – on large posters or small papercuts, and on items of everyday use. Sources for the images included both traditional Chinese compositions and Soviet socialist motifs. The printed, woven, modelled and cut examples in this exhibition were all collected in China between 1968 and 1979. Eastern Art Online now presents an extended version of the Cultural Revolution exhibition, providing additional information about the works on display in the Ashmolean's Eastern Art Paintings and Prints Gallery, including zoom-able high-resolution images . This is the first of a two-part exhibition, the second part planned for July 2011. After the physical display of the the first part of the exhibition comes down in the Museum in July 2011, the online exhibition will remain online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.

Sal-e now mobarak! Eastern Art Online celebrates Nowruz (Persian New Year) 1390/2011! (2011-03-21)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-03-21

Eastern Art related events at the Ashmolean in February and March (2011-02-08)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-02-08

NB: for information about current and upcoming Eastern Art related exhibitions, please see our exhibitions listing page.Gallery Activities: Japanese Tea Ceremony performed by Kyoko ReganTue 15 Feb, Tue 15 Mar, 1–2pm & 3–4pmTake part in a Japanese tea ceremony using traditional tea wares in the Ashmolean’s authentic Japanese tea house.£6.50, booking requiredMeet in Gallery 36 (Japan from 1850)Gallery Talks:Led by Ashmolean Education Volunteers, free but donations are welcome. Places are allocated on the day by tokens available from the Information Desk at 1pm (4pm for Twilight Talks), no advance booking. Numbers are limited to 15 people.Japanese Treasures Tue 15th February, 1.15-2pm Free, meet in Gallery 21 (Greek and Roman Sculpture)The Indian CollectionsFri 18 March, 1.15-2pmFree, meet in Gallery 21 (Greek and Roman Sculpture)Twilight Gallery Talks:The Middle Eastern Origins of European Ceramics 24th February, 5-5.45pm Free, meet in Gallery 21 (Greek and Roman Sculpture)Family activities:February Half-Term: China!Wed 23rd Feb, Thu 24th Feb, Fri 25th Feb, 1-4pmCelebrate Chinese New Year by making a fire dragon or a paper blossom for our good luck tree.Free, drop-in, no booking required, donations welcome. Meet in Education Centre Courses and Workshops: Ornamental Embroidery with the Royal School of NeedleworkTwo-day workshops with Royal School of Needlework tutors Nicola Jarvis and Lynn Hulse, providing an opportunity to study and create hand-embroidered furnishing textiles inspired by Asian design. Each workshop includes an introductory talk on the technique and instruction on design for embroidery using objects from the Museum’s collections. Students will produce individual pieces using a combination of wools, silks and gold threads, in a variety of stitches.£170/160 concessions (price is per weekend and inc. materials), booking required, places limited to 12. Online payment & booking requiredThree options:Canvas work based on Ottoman floral designFri 4th & Sat 5th Mar, 10.30– 5pmEducation CentreCrewel embroidery in the Jacobean styleFri 25th & Sat 26th Mar, 10.30–5pmEducation CentreSilk shading using Japanese motifs in the Aesthetic style Fri 8th & Sat 9th Apr, 10.30– 5pmEducation Centre

Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art - new facility open to all (2011-02-03)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-02-03

The Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art is a new facility open to members of the public, students and scholars alike for the study and enjoyment of the Eastern Art reserve collections. Visitors are invited to come directly to the main study room of the Jameel Centre, located on the first floor of the Museum, off the Eastern Art Paintings gallery (gallery 29). Although it is advisable, it is not necessary to make an appointment to see mounted drawings, paintings, and prints. Appointments by phone, in writing, or by email are required to view all the other items in the Eastern Art collection (ceramics, metalwork, stone, textiles, unmounted or framed paintings, scrolls, etc.). A week’s notice is recommended as some areas of the collection are stored offsite. The Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art Ashmolean Museum Beaumont Street Oxford OX1 2PH T: +44(0)1865 288107 E: eastudycentre@ashmus.ox.ac.uk Opening Hours Tuesday to Friday (and first Saturday of the month): 10.00am – 1pm and 2 – 5pm Mondays (for group bookings only): 10am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm

Come celebrate the Chinese New Year at the The Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art (2011-02-03)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2011-02-03

To celebrate the Chinese New Year (year of the Rabbit), The Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art will display some works of art, showing Rabbits, from the 3rd to the 5th February, no booking necessary. The Jameel Centre for the Study of Eastern Art Ashmolean Museum Beaumont Street Oxford OX1 2PH T: +44(0)1865 288107 E: eastudycentre@ashmus.ox.ac.uk Opening Hours Tuesday to Friday (and first Saturday of the month): 10.00am – 1pm and 2 – 5pm Mondays (for group bookings only): 10am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm

Japanese Ghosts and Demons: Ukiyo-e prints - exhibition now online (2010-10-11)

Yousef Jameel Online Centre — 2010-10-11

Giant spiders, dancing skeletons, winged goblins and hordes of ghostly warriors are among the spooky subjects depicted in this display of 19th century woodblock prints from the Ashmolean’s own collection. The exhibition is on display in the Museum until 27th February 2011. Focusing on works by the renowned artists Kuniyoshi and Yoshitoshi, the display is timed to coincide with Halloween. Now, more details about the exhibition and in-depth information on all the works featured, including zoom-able high-resolution images for every print, can be found here on Eastern Art Online. After the physical display in the Museum comes down in 2011, the online exhibition will remain available online indefinitely, as an archived resource that can continue to be explored.