The Asian Collection and the Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art

Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam, extinct Central Asian scripts and precious Chinese jade, Japanese armor and Noh robes, gilded lacquer, porcelains for palaces and sculptures for tombs; our small but growing collection explores the cultural traditions of Asia from the fourth millennium B.C.E. to the eighteenth century C.E. through fine and rare examples of art. Although not all the pieces are permanently on display, regular rotations allow visitors to engage with these rich and varied traditions. In addition to pieces from the permanent collection, loans from the Barbara and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Collection and other lenders are regularly exhibited.

Vishnu Stele	Full Image
	date: 12th century medium: black chloritic schist, 38 x ?? x ?? inches	nationality: Indian, Bengal period: Sena kingdom
Object no: 2004.050	Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Vishnu Stele

Full Image

date:
12th century

medium:
black chloritic schist, 38 x ?? x ?? inches

nationality:
Indian, Bengal

period:
Sena kingdom

Object no: 2004.050

Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Two Scenes from the Life of Buddha	Full Image
	date: 2nd–3rd century medium: stone, 16 x 14 inches (detail)	nationality: Gandharan (northeastern Pakistan and southern Afghanistan)
Object no: 1972.002	Purchase with funds provided by the Friends of Art Acquisition Fund

Two Scenes from the Life of Buddha

Full Image

date:
2nd–3rd century

medium:
stone, 16 x 14 inches (detail)

nationality:
Gandharan (northeastern Pakistan and southern Afghanistan)

Object no: 1972.002

Purchase with funds provided by the Friends of Art Acquisition Fund

Prajnaparamita Sutra Cover	Full Image
	date: 12th–14th century medium: gilded and painted wood, 8 x 27 1/8 x 1 inches	nationality: Tibetan
Object no: 2005.031	Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund and the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Prajnaparamita Sutra Cover

Full Image

date:
12th–14th century

medium:
gilded and painted wood, 8 x 27 1/8 x 1 inches

nationality:
Tibetan

Object no: 2005.031

Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund and the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Caparisoned Horse	Full Image
	date: 534–550 medium: polychrome ceramic, 12 3/4 x 12 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches (detail)	nationality: Chinese period: Eastern Wei dynasty
Object no: 2004.015	Purchase with funds provided by the Friends of Art Acquisition Fund

Caparisoned Horse

Full Image

date:
534–550

medium:
polychrome ceramic, 12 3/4 x 12 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches (detail)

nationality:
Chinese

period:
Eastern Wei dynasty

Object no: 2004.015

Purchase with funds provided by the Friends of Art Acquisition Fund

Ritual Ewer (gui)	Full Image
	artist/maker: Dawenkou culture date: 4th–3rd millennium B.C.E. medium: earthenware, 11 x 7 1/4 x 7 inches	nationality: Chinese period: Neolithic
Object no: 2004.017	Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Ritual Ewer (gui)

Full Image

artist/maker:
Dawenkou culture

date:
4th–3rd millennium B.C.E.

medium:
earthenware, 11 x 7 1/4 x 7 inches

nationality:
Chinese

period:
Neolithic

Object no: 2004.017

Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Li Bai Contemplating the Moon
	artist/maker: Wu Liangzhi date: late 16th–early 17th century medium: hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, 65 x 40 inches	nationality: Chinese
Object no: 2004.022	Puchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Li Bai Contemplating the Moon

artist/maker:
Wu Liangzhi

date:
late 16th–early 17th century

medium:
hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, 65 x 40 inches

nationality:
Chinese

Object no: 2004.022

Puchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Figure of Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)	Full Image
	date: dated by inscription 568 C.E. medium: gilt bronze, H. 7 3/8 inches	nationality: Chinese period: Northern Qi dynasty
Object no: 2005.042	Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Figure of Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)

Full Image

date:
dated by inscription 568 C.E.

medium:
gilt bronze, H. 7 3/8 inches

nationality:
Chinese

period:
Northern Qi dynasty

Object no: 2005.042

Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Fragment of a Lotus Sutra	Full Image
	date: 7th century, croll medium: ink on paper, H. 10 5/8 inches (detail)	nationality: Chinese, Dunhuang
Object no: 2006.020	Purchase with funds provided by the Walter Cerf Art Fund

Fragment of a Lotus Sutra

Full Image

date:
7th century, croll

medium:
ink on paper, H. 10 5/8 inches (detail)

nationality:
Chinese, Dunhuang

Object no: 2006.020

Purchase with funds provided by the Walter Cerf Art Fund

Hyakumanto Pagoda and Printed Buddhist Incantation (dharani)	Full Image
	date: c. 767–770 medium: wood with lead white covering; incantation: ink on paper, H. 8 1/2 inches	nationality: Japanese period: Nara
Object no: 2004.025	Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund and the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Hyakumanto Pagoda and Printed Buddhist Incantation (dharani)

Full Image

date:
c. 767–770

medium:
wood with lead white covering; incantation: ink on paper, H. 8 1/2 inches

nationality:
Japanese

period:
Nara

Object no: 2004.025

Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund and the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Karaori Noh Robe	Full Image
	date: early 19th century medium: silk, warp-float twill with supplementary brocading wefts, 62 1/2 x 65 1/4 inches	nationality: Japanese period: Edo period (1603–1867)
Object no: 2004.049	Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Karaori Noh Robe

Full Image

date:
early 19th century

medium:
silk, warp-float twill with supplementary brocading wefts, 62 1/2 x 65 1/4 inches

nationality:
Japanese

period:
Edo period (1603–1867)

Object no: 2004.049

Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Clothes Box	Full Image
	date: 18th century medium: basketry with makie lacquer decoration, 9 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches (detail)	nationality: Japanese period: Edo period (1603–1868)
Object no: 2005.030	Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Clothes Box

Full Image

date:
18th century

medium:
basketry with makie lacquer decoration, 9 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches (detail)

nationality:
Japanese

period:
Edo period (1603–1868)

Object no: 2005.030

Purchase with funds provided by the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Fund

Shogi Set with Tokugawa Crest	Full Image
	date: 18th century medium: lacquered wood, ivory pieces	nationality: Japanese
Object no: 2005.045	Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Shogi Set with Tokugawa Crest

Full Image

date:
18th century

medium:
lacquered wood, ivory pieces

nationality:
Japanese

Object no: 2005.045

Purchase with funds provided by the Barbara P. and Robert P. ’64 Youngman Acquisition Fund for Asian Art

Collections

The Asian Collection and the Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art

Middlebury College Museum of Art