instructional resources: the asian art museum of san francisco

National Art Education Association

Instructional Resources: The Asian Art Museum of San FranciscoAuthor(s): So Kam NgSource: Art Education, Vol. 45, No. 4 (Jul., 1992), pp. 24-28+33-36Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3193332 .

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INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

The Asian Art Museum

of San Francisco

So Kam Ng

The constant exchanges and communication between different peoples and cultures enrich the quality of our lives. Living in a culturally diverse society, we are surrounded by objects and customs derived from far away places. A work of art, as an historical document, can provide insights into foreign and unfa- miliar concepts. Artistic expression embodies the wisdom and experience of the people who produce it. An encounter with a people's art is a reciprocal process - it can either illustrate what one has leamed in books or inform the viewer directly with its visual message from the past, stimulating questions and a desire to know more.

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco offers the opportunity for such an encounter through its exten- sive and varied collection. The educational goals of the museum reflect the vision of its benefactor, Avery Brundage, to serve as a bridge of understanding between the East and West. A Chicago businessman and sports leader associated with the Olympics, Mr. Brundage, became interested in Asian art and was

inspired to collect after he saw the Chinese exhibition at Burlington House in London in 1935. Although Brundage was in the habit of purchasing souvenirs during his travels, he had not collected in a systematic manner.

His goal was to build a comprehensive collection of Asian art. Drawing upon his discipline as an athlete, he took every opportunity to study and train his eyes to appreciate the intrinsic aesthetic value of each object he saw. He learned from his mistakes, sharp- ening his perception through practice. When in doubt, he did not hesitate to seek advice from experts. San Francisco's physical location and its strong commit- ment to the study and understanding of Asia, at- tracted Brundage who later donated his valuable collection to the city. Today, the museum's holding of over 12,000 objects includes more than 40 Asian cultures, spanning a period of over 6,000 years.

The following represent some of the forms and ideas in Asian art. Encourage students to look, reflect, and interpret the forms and ideas they perceive.

24 Art EducatiornJuly 1992



Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness. Chloritic stone. 9th century, Northeast India. H. 33". B60 S598. The Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francsco.

Art Education/July 1992 25



Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness Chloritic stone

9th century, Northeast India H.33" B60 S598

The Avery Brundage Collection Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

An image is an imitation, copy, or representation of a person or thing. It can be drawn, painted, or sculpted. This image represents the Buddha at the moment of his enlightenment when he was transformed from an ordinary mortal into a divine individual. Specific signs or symbols used in the depiction of an image help the viewer to identify the person or event represented here. Certain features in this figure distinguish him from other deities or ordinary human beings. The Buddha sits on an elaborate lion throne with a halo behind his head. The lion throne was part of the imagery for a universal monarch. Lions were traditional Middle Easter symbols of royal power and status which Buddhism adopted. A protuberance on the top of his head, called the ushnisha, symbolized his extraordinary wisdom. The urna, located between his eyebrows, emanates the light of his wisdom. Wheels presenting the Buddhist Law appear on the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet.

Other physical signs include short, closely cropped hair, in the form of tight curls; a simple monk's robe draped over one shoulder; and extended earlobes. Buddha, as a prince of the Shakya clan, wore all the beautiful clothes and adornments befitting his posi- tion. In the process of becoming the Buddha he left the palace and renounced all worldly possessions. He removed his fine clothing, cut off his long hair, and put on the garments of a monk. His earlobes were extended from wearing heavy earrings. Before his enlightenment the Buddha sat in meditation underthe bodhi tree for many days pondering the causes and solutions for human sufferings. Just before the great moment of his spiritual awakening, the evil-forces tried to seduce and distract him. Unmoved, the Bud- dha touched the ground calling the earth to be a witness to his achievement.

Di-scus-ion Questions Notice his hand gesture. Have students describe what he is doing. Sometimes, hand gestures (mudra) function as symbols

Meditation - left hand, palm up, rests on his lap Calling the earth to witness - right hand, reaches

down in front Name some hand gestures that are symbols and

what they mean. Ex., e.g. thumb up.

Activity: Creating an Image Artists created images of the Buddha based on estab- lished forms and symbolism. The following metaphors describe the idealized form of the Buddha: the body of the Buddha is slender like the body of the lion; his shoulders and arms curve like the head and trunk of an elephant; his legs resemble those of a gazelle;

his face is a perfect oval, like an egg; his eyes curve like a bow and are shaped like lotus petals; his lips have the fullness of a mango. However, the image of Buddha changed as it traveled from country to country in Asia. The artists followed the signs and symbols, but each country had its own ideals of beauty, its own style, its own materials.

Name some of the possible differences. (Ex. material. This image is carved out of stone. Other materials could be wood, iron, or bronze. It could also be a painting, a two-dimensional image.) Images could be created with words, pictures, or symbols. Have students make an image of someone they respect or admire.

1. Draw a picture of the person chosen. 2. Draw symbols or picture ideas associated with

that person (ex. an open book for a teacher). 3. Create a written image of the person. Think of

and write down 12 words that immediately come to mind when thinking of the person. Select 6 from the 12.

4. Make a final image using any combination of the above.

Epidendrums, Bamboo, and Fungi Growing on Rocks"

Zheng Xie (1693-1765) Hanging scroll, Ink on paper, dated 1761

H. 75-1/2" W. 37-3/8" B67 D6 The Avery Brundage Collection

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

In China, the arts of painting, calligraphy, and poetry are considered worthy preoccupations forthe scholar- gentleman. Here, Zheng Xie is demonstrating his accomplishment in all three of these areas. Although it might seem strange to have writing be part of a composition, the Chinese artists have perfected an art which harmoniously integrates these elements to complement each other through visual and literary references. The lines and shapes of the individual Chinese characters (words) echo the forms in the painting. The artist uses the same brush and tech- niques in creating both the written and pictorial images.

Chinese ink painting is characterized by free, spon- taneous brushwork with very little use of colors. Reduced to the essential elements of black and white, it is believed to reflect the personality of its creator. When the soft brush is dragged across the highly absorbent surface of the paper, there is no way to hide the traces of one's brush. The expressive quality of the lines gives three-dimensional form to the objects, while the richness of the ink creates shades in the same way colors do.

Landscapes and plants that emphasize expressive brushwork were the favorite motifs for the scholars. The symbolism and meaning associated with these subjects were equally important. The slightest reference to a sensitive issue could mean an end to

26 Art EducationlJuly 1992



a friendship or a career. The moder painter Huang Yongyu was censored because Mao's widow, a mem- ber of the powerful Gang of Four, thought his winking owl was a commentary on her excessive ways.

Epidendrum, bamboo, and rock symbolize the endurance and virtuous quality appropriate for a scholar-gentleman. The epidendrum is a small, green Chinese orchid. Although its bloom is unassuming, hardly distinguishable from the plant, the flower has a pleasing fragrance that lingers and permeates its surroundings. The Chinese compare a righteous individual to an epidendrum whose virtue could not be hidden in spite of his modesty, or suppressed in adverse situations. The flexible, yet upright bamboo will bend but not break, a symbol of perserverence. The craggy old rock represents age and maturity. The cloud-shaped fungus is associated with wishes for longevity and immortality.

Zheng Xie represents the ideals for a scholar- gentleman. He was bom into a poorfamily; his mother died when he was very young. He put all his energies into his studies and then sat for the various civil examinations, distinauishing himself each time. The government appointed him a district magistrate in Shangdong province (northeast China). He instituted programs to help the people and the economy, and at the same time refused to join and flatter other cor- rupted officials. When severe famine persisted in the area and cases of cannibalism were reported, Zheng opened the state granaries to relieve the poor. He was falsely accused of corruption and dismissed from office. Spending the rest of his days in the city Yangzhou (located near Shanghai), he supported himself by selling paintings and calligraphy. A fine poet, Zheng often inscribed his works with his own poems.

The orchids, bamboo, and fungus growing in the cracks of the rocky cliff can be compared to the literati gentleman living in a harsh environment. The inscrip- tion reads that the fungus and orchids are not happy in the room of a rich mansion. Zheng Xie goes on to write that he would rather live out his life in deep ravines in the mountains "where each plant com- pletes it destiny and where each lives in conformity with its fate."

Di-scussion Questions 1. What colors do you see? Although this is a

monochromatic work, the Asian artists try to convey a full spectrum of colors in their variations of ink tonality and brush texture. Ask students for other examples of monochromatic art. (Photography, drawing, lithography, engraving.)

2. What is the relationship between the writing and painting?

3. What words would you use to describe the plants, rocks, and the environment of this painting? (curved, straight, angular, smooth, rugged, rough, delicate, graceful, dancing, swaying, fluid, craggy, gnarled, lonely, quiet)

4. What can you infer about the culture, aesthetics,

and people of ancient China? (The Confucian ideal of respecting the educated man and the man of virtue. Delight in using metaphors. Love of nature.)

5. How does this painting represent Zheng Xie's own situation?

Activity: Make a Hanging Scroll 1. Make a drawing or use the image created earlier. 2. Paste the drawing or image onto a larger piece

of paper. 3. Roll and paste the top and bottom of the paper

around cardboard tubes or dowels. 4. Put a string or ribbon through the top tube (or

tack it if you have a dowel that is not hollow). Tie the string, and the scroll is ready to be hung.

The Tale of Genji One of a pair of six-fold screens Ink, colors, gold leaf on paper

Late 17th to early 18th century, Japan H: 67-1/2" B60 D47+


The Tale of Genji, is a famous Japanese literary work. The novel, Japan's first, was written by a 1 0th-century lady-in-waiting to the Empress. Although her actual name was not recorded, the names associated with her are very poetic. Murasaki, her traditional name, was taken from one of the characters in the novel. It means lavender, while her family name Fujiwara means wisteria. At first, paintings served as illustra- tions to the stories dealing with the exploits of its hero, Genji. Then, as the various scenes became conventionalized, they appeared independent of the text. When it is not possible to include all the episodes, key scenes or images are selected.

This particular screen (the right) represents scenes from chapter 5 (above) and chapter 3 (below), depict- ing Prince Genji himself, while the left screen (not shown here) deals with the next generation. At the upper left hand corner, Genji and his attendants arrive at the gate of a rural temple where he is about to catch sight of the young Murasaki who later became his wife. The artist distinguishes Murasaki from her com- panions by not dressing her as elaborately and color- fully as the others. A child of ten, Murasaki is the smaller figure with the white garment. Another indica- tion of her age is the short hair. The other ladies are all shown with long flowing black hair, a standard of beauty for women of that period. The lower half of the screen shows Genji watching two ladies playing a game of Go.

The traditional Japanese artist employs certain stylistic devices. The most common for decorative screens is the use of stylized gold clouds to separate the different scenes. Another is the removal of the roofs to give an unobstructed view of the interior. Forms are simplified or abstracted. There is a strong sense of pattern, colors, and a layering of two-dimensional shapes. Details are reduced to the essentials.




N).

Epdendrums, Bamboo, and Fungi Growing on Rocks. Zheng Xie

(1693-1765). Hanging scroll, ink on paper. Dated 1761. H: 75-1/2" W: 37-3/8". B67 D6. The Avery Brundage Collection,

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

Water Dropper. Stoneware, celadon glaze with incised decoration. Koryo period, 12th century, Korea. H: 3-1/2". B67 P3. The Avery Brundage Collection; Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.



The Tale of Genjl. One of a pair of six-fold screens. Ink, colors, gold leaf on paper. Late 17th to early 18th century, Japan. H: 67-1/2". B60 D47+. The Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

Detail




Activity Certain conventionalized images readily identify a specific story. Show the picture of a sword in the stone, and ask with whom that image is associated. Ask students to name objects and ideas related to a familiar scene or some event they have studied. For example, Thanksgiving -turkey, pumpkins, pilgrims, harvest, autumn. What colors or sensations come to mind? (Orange, yellow, comfortable, lazy.)

Dil-cssion Questions What are the seasons depicted here?

(Blossoming cherry trees in the first scene suggest spring. In the lower section, lilies are summer plants.)

What kind of shapes did the artist use? Is this painting naturalistic? How are the forms and shapes abstracted?

Notice the use of architectural and landscape elements, the kind of lines used and the shapes they formed.

Water Dropper Stoneware, celadon glaze with incised decoration

Koryo period, 12th century Korea H: 3-1/2" B67 P3


This small sculptural piece demonstrates the inven- tive and witty side of the Korean craftsman working in the service of his courtly patrons. It is a water dropper. The Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans did not have bottled ink. They make the ink each time they want to paint or write. A small container is used for water that is poured onto an inkstone to dissolve the particles of stick ink rubbed on the stone. Literate Korean gentle- men, following the tradition of the Chinese gentleman-scholar, would have had on his desk these accessories in addition to his brushes and brushholders. Those who could read and write in 12th- century Korea were mostly wealthy aristocrats who wanted these scholars tools to be not only functional but aesthetically pleasing, too. This water dropper is in the form of a mythological dragon- headed tortoise. The tortoise, a symbol of long life, strength, and endurance in Chinese and Korean folklore, is believed to acquire the characteristics homs, snout, and fangs of a dragon as it ages. Traditionally, this fantastic beast was encircled by a snake. Here, it is entwined with lotus stems and curly leaves. The reference is clear but the form is new. The two holes, one forfilling the container and the otherfor pouring, are hidden within the two lotus leaves, one on his back, the other beside his neck. This vessel was made by hand. The basic oval container was then embellished with coils of clay for the lotus ten- drils, feet, head, and the wavy edge of the shell. Incised lines define the tortoiseshell, body, details of the face, and the pattern of the shell. The whole piece is covered with a thickly translucent, celadon-green glaze, creating an over-all unity and pleasantly tactile quality.

Activity Have students bring in an everyday object that utilizes a natural form like this one. Discuss how the artist has incorporated the function into the design. Does it include any symbolism?

Who Is a Collector and Connoisseur? Have students talk about their own collecting and share their collections with the class. When and where did they get the object? How do they take care of it? Are they placed in a container, album? Why do they enjoy it? and how? (by themselves, with friends, trade with other collectors).

Explain that everyone is a collector. One does not have to be a millionaire like Avery Brundage to collect. However, to form a collection, one should set goals and be persistant in one's pursuit. Knowledge en- hances the enjoyment of collecting. Remind them that one could collect found objects, like stones, pressed flowers, and even live creatures. Yet there are responsibilities. The museums have registration and conservation departments that document and maintain the collections.

Activity: Set Up a Museum 1. Decide what the class is to collect. 2. Have each student bring an object for the

collection. 3. Divide the class into three groups: curators,

registrars, and conservators. 4. Curators will set up the display. They will prepare

the signs and labels for each object. A short explana- tory text could accompany each group of objects.

5. Registrars do the documentation. Make a record of the obiects. Start with the kind of information found in the captions in this article.

Sample registration form (fill in the appropriate sections):

Name or title of object: Name of artist: Material: Date: Dimensions: Accession number: Name of donor or owner: Description and history of the object:

6. Conservators examine the condition of the objects to see if it needs any cleaning or repairs. What is the best way of doing it without damaging the piece. Perform those duties. They also make recom- mendations for methods of storage and display. Records of the treatment and their recommenda- tions should be given to the registrars to be kept with the other information.

7. Invite parents, friends, or other classes to visit their museum. Students can give guided tours to the visitors. Remind them to keep the tour concise and the groups moving.

34 Art Education/July 1992



Lintel with Scene from the Ramayana Red sandstone

Angkor Wat or early Bayon style 12th century Khmer (present day Cambodia)

H: 35" W: 74" B66 S 7 The Avery Brundage Collection

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Khmer means children of Mera, the legendary mother of the people of Cambodia. The Khmer kingdom like other countries of Asia came under the religious and philosophical influences of ancient India. The ancient traders and travellers carried goods and ideas by land and sea. Unhindered by treacherous deserts and mountain ranges, Buddhism and Hinduism, along with their religious and literary traditions, arrived in Southeast Asia.

This lintel illustrates a scene from the ancient Indian epic the Ramayanawhich narrates the adven- tures of the hero Rama, one of the incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu. The Ramayana, like Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, is filed with tales of gods, mortals, and fantastic creatures. With the righteous and the wicked in constant contention, the stories provide lessons and models of behaviorforthe people. Many of these and other religious tales decorate temples to educate and entertain the worshippers.The stories are also dramatized in dances and pantomime. The visual arts and theater, therefor; borrowed from each other, enriching their repertoire in the process. Notice the dramatic and dance-like qualities of the figures.

In the Ramayana, Vishnu descends to earth in the form of the noble Rama to save earth from the demon Ravana who is often shown with ten heads and twenty arms. This scene depicts the climactic battle between Rama, aided by an army of monkeys led by their King Surgriva (indicated by his tall crown) and the ravenous demon Kumbhakama who had come to assist his brother Ravana. Kumbhakama was always hungry; monkeysthat he has swallowed whole can be seen escaping through his ears. In the end, the good and virtuous (Rama and the monkeys) triumphed.

Structure/Composition A lintel is the horizontal portion of a doorway. This lintel probably came from the entranceway to a temple or tertple annex. Lintels mark the threshold between the outer world and the sacred realm; often they are decorated with heavenly beings, courtly episodes or scenes from sacred stories (as in this example). The carving is bursting with vitality. Intricately entwined figures fill the surface. There is a loosely diagonal rhythm that contributes to the dynamic composition, accentuated by deep undercutting that creates the interlacing effect.

Discussion Questions Ask the students to identify the main characters shown on the lintel. What gestures, trappings, features give away their identity? (Rama is the human figure to the left. Sugriva the monkey king wears a crown. Kumbhakama's enormous size indicates his superhuman strength.)

Why select this episode of the story to illustrate? (People enjoy stories about monkeys and can relate more readily to the human-like animals than to the divine Rama. This battle is the moment of glory forthe monkeys: the citizens of the earth are allied with the divine Rama to defeat the cosmic forces of evil.)

These stories often have lessons to teach. Ask students to suggest some stories that set examples.

The text describes Kumbhakama as a mountain overgrown with trees. What might suggest that kind of vine-like growth in this work? (The interconnected figures of the monkeys surrounding the mountainous demon.)

What, compositionally, gives such a sense of activity, vitality, energy?

What verbs spring to mind as you view the scene? (Bite, leap, twist, crouch.)

What noises, sounds might you associate with such a scene?

How does the artist focus your atteltion? Place- ment of images, use of line, relative size

Is this image naturalistic, or stylized?

Activity: Make a Stone Relief To make a relief, the pattern or design is sketched on the surface and then carved away.

1. Gradually add one cup of plaster to one cup of water, a spoonful of plaster at a time. Pourthe plaster into a clean 1/2 gallon milk carton. Press plastic straws all the way through the upper corners, 1/2" from each edge, to provide holes for hanging your sculpture. Let the plaster set until it is hard. Pull the cardboard away from the plaster, remove the straws. This is your imitation sandstone.

2. Make a drawing on a piece of paper. Cover the back of your drawing with "carbon" by rubbing it with the side of your pencil. Place your drawing right side up on the smooth side of the plaster block, and trace your drawing; the lines will appear on the plaster.

3. Take a small knife or nail file and carve away the background areas of your drawing, about 1/2" to 1/4" deep, allow the drawing to remain raised and smooth. This is your bas-relief (low relief) sculpture.

4. Now paint it light brown to make it look like sandstone.

Activity 2 Select a story from the Ramayana, or another epic like the Odyssey. Illustrate the climax.

So Kam Ng is Associate Curator of Education at The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.




Lintel with Scene from the Ramayana. Red sandstone. Angkor Wat or early Bayon style. 12th century. Khmer (present oay

Cambodia). H: 35" W: 75". B66 S7. The Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

Detail

36 Art Education/July 1992



instructional resources: the asian art museum of san francisco

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