Asian art and Australia: 1830s-1930s
Abstract
In researching this topic, I have developed chapters on a
History of Taste in Australia (as related to Asia),
incorporating discussion of the late-nineteenth century art
movements of Chinoiserie, Japonisme and Aestheticism
(chapters 1 to 3). Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 focus on
particular visual and cultural phenomena throughout
Australia which are correlated to these movements, and are
largely documented from primary sources. As an overview of
the growth and content of Asian collections within
Australia, chapter 8 presents a national view - from the
founding of private colonial collections through to the establishment and development of state museum collections.
The concluding chapter draws together social and cultural
themes with particular emphasis on Australia's intercultural
relationship with Japan. Further investigation
into Asian cultural interchange with Australia from the
1930s is mandatory to extend this to the present.
Although references are made to the cultures of China,
Japan and Southeast Asia, for a variety of reasons it was
Japan which was to play the most important role in shaping
cultural exchange with Australia. Australia's geographic
position, almost due south of the great land and island
masses known as the 'East' induced an access with the
possibility of trade, the exchange of persons, and the
importation of cultural artefacts.
I gratefully acknowledge select data on museum collections;
specific information was provided by a numerically small,
but dedicated group of curators responsible for Asian
collections throughout Australia. Their assistance has
been invaluable in compiling histories of the major state
collections.