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Pair of Wedding Ducks Korea, early 20th century Colors on wood Gift of Emma K. Aseltta, 2005 2005.55.6.1‑2

Birding in Asian Art

March 13, 2019 ‑ February 23, 2020

Learning to look closely is essential not only to the appreciation of art but also the sport and science of birding—sighting live birds in the wild.

This long-term installation features more than 100 works of art that showcase various fowl—actual and mythical—in the paintings and sculptures of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet. In addition to divulging the rich cultural significance of birds, this selection of works unlocks identification of various species and their affiliated habitats.

Stacked Sweet Container (kobako 小箱) with Swallows and Weeping Cherry Motif Japan, Taishô Period (1912‑1926) Lacquer, gold, colors Gift of Mrs. John Cotton Dana, 1931 31.1028A‑D

Phoenix Futon Cover Japan, Showa Period (1926‑1989) Cotton, yuzen resist‑dyed indigo Purchase 1983 Thomas L. Raymond Bequest Fund 83.91

Nesting Egrets and Flying Birds Near a Smoking Nobleman Thirteenth folio from a dispersed Ragamala Oudh, India, late 18th or early 19th century Colors on paper Gift of Marilyn Walter Grounds, 2000 2000.75.88

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