Global Lives of Objects: Celebrating 100 Years of the National Museum of Asian Art

"In celebration of the centenary of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, this volume explores a range of artistic, historical, and technical exchanges that shaped the arts of Asia and late nineteenth-century America, through the juxtaposition of object-based, localized micro-histories. The richly illustrated volume features approximately 33 short essays, each taking a single object as a starting point to unravel complex, interconnected histories. Written by curators, scientists, conservators, and other museum staff, this multifaceted work explores issues of the circulation of materials, objects, and technology, which have long predated the contemporary period. This approach encourages readers to appreciate well known masterpieces as well as lesser known and unpublished works from a new perspective and focus on networks of artistic, cultural, and historical connections that shaped their meaning and significance"--