Crosscurrents of Design: Asian Export Ceramics

February 19 - October 30, 2011 

Asian ceramics have captivated collectors for centuries because of their exquisite forms, patterns and materials.  Originally, they were created for the domestic market.  Advancements in sailing and navigation in the 15th century made ceramic export feasible and economically viable.  Asian ceramics first traveled to nearby local markets; later on, they were exported farther to Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.  Asian export ceramics were created in areas that are now known as Thailand, Vietnam, China and Japan.  Combining indigenous traditions and borrowed designs, these decorative and practical objects document the cross-cultural exchange of material goods and artistic motifs that began centuries ago and still continues today.