Iskandar and the talking tree (detail), folio from the Great Mongol Shahnama (Book of kings), Iran, probably Tabriz, Ilkhanid dynasty, ca. 1330, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1935.23
Gallery Tours: An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama
January 6–10 & 12 from 2:15–3:15pm (EST) Daily
Arthur M. Sackler Galleries 23 & 24
Don’t miss your last chance to explore An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama during its final week at the museum. The exhibition closes on Sunday, January 12, so be sure to join one of the free daily gallery tours offered through the closing date.
An Epic of Kings showcases a monumental illustrated manuscript of Iran’s national epic, the Shahnama, considered one of the most celebrated medieval Persian works. Twenty-five breathtaking folios from this manuscript are displayed alongside contemporaneous art from China, the Mediterranean, and the Latin West, offering a rare glimpse into a fascinating era of cultural exchange across Eurasia.
The hour-long tour delves into the manuscript’s bold illustrations, which bring to life the stories of the Shahnama, written in the 11th century. Discover how artists, three centuries later, interpreted this timeless epic through their masterful depictions.
To learn more, click here.
©Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Asiatische Kunst /Foto: Jörg von Bruchhausen
Unpacking Provenance | A Chinese Porcelain Cup
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 from 12-1pm EST
Zoom
Also mark your calendars for the premier of their new online series, Unpacking Provenance: Retracing the Histories of Asian Art on January 22 at 12pm EST.
Unpacking Provenance: Retracing the Histories of Asian Art brings together cross-disciplinary specialists to discuss provenance research processes and share resources. Discussions focus on a single object, exploring a variety of innovative, strategic, and collaborative approaches to inquiry.
In the series premiere, a panel of four experts reflect on a Yongzheng-period (1723–1735) porcelain cup in the collections of the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. This cup was purchased in 1940 from a private individual whose father reportedly participated in the so-called Boxer War of 1900. Discussants will articulate research questions, brainstorm approaches, and talk through how they would ideally track down answers about both the object’s journey and the life histories of the individuals who encountered it.
Unpacking Provenance is part of a larger collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz that seeks to cultivate the global network of provenance researchers and promote exchange. Previous programs include Hidden Networks: The Trade of Asian Art (2020–2022) and Provenance of Asian Art: A Collaborative Workshop and Symposium (2023).
To learn more and register for free, click here.