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buddhist art of myanmar buddhist art of myanmar Edited by Sylvia Fraser-Lu and Donald M. Stadtner Asia Society Museum in association with Yale University Press, New Haven and London Published on the occasion of the exhibition Designed by Anjali Pala, Miko McGinty Inc. Buddhist Art of Myanmar, organized by Asia Society Museum. Set in Kievit by Tina Henderson Printed in Hong Kong by Asia One Asia Society Museum, New York February 10–May 10, 2015 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014942696 ISBN 978- 0- 300- 20945- 7 © Asia Society, New York, NY, 2015. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in A catalogue record for this book is available from the whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond British Library. that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), The paper in this book meets the requirements of ansi/niso without written permission from the publishers. z39.48- 1992 (Permanence of Paper). Published by 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Asia Society 725 Park Avenue Cover illustrations: (front) Detail of cat. no. 12; (back) Detail of New York, NY 10021 cat. no. 60 AsiaSociety.org Page ii: Detail of cat. no. 43 Page vi: Detail of cat. no. 60 Page x: Cat. no. 26 Pages 228–29: Maps designed by Anandaroop Roy Yale University Press P.O. Box 209040 302 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06520- 9040 yalebooks.com/art This book is dedicated to John Guth (1924–2014) Asia Society has lost a great friend and champion. He will be remembered for his friendship, generosity, and support of Asian arts. Contents viii President’s Foreword | Josette Sheeran xi Statement: Ministry of Culture, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar | H. E. U Aye Myint Kyu xii Curators’ Acknowledgments | Sylvia Fraser- Lu and Donald M. Stadtner xiv Funders of the Exhibition xiv Lenders to the Exhibition xv Note to the Reader 1 Essays 3 Myanmar: Forging a Nation | Sylvia Fraser- Lu and Donald M. Stadtner 11 Foundation Myths of Myanmar | Patrick Pranke and Donald M. Stadtner 19 Inscriptions and Chronicles: The Historiography of Myanmar | U Tun Aung Chain 27 Buddhism and Its Practice in Myanmar | Patrick Pranke 35 Myanmar and the Outside World | Jacques Leider 45 The Buddha’s Smile: Art of the First Millennium | Robert L. Brown and Donald M. Stadtner 55 Ancient Pagan: A Plain of Merit | Donald M. Stadtner 65 After Pagan: The Art of Myanmar, 1287–1900 | Sylvia Fraser- Lu 75 Buddhist Image Replication in Myanmar | Adriana Proser 81 Art, Power, and Merit: The Veneration of Buddha Images in Myanmar Museums | Heidi Tan 89 Catalogue Entries by Robert L. Brown, Sylvia Fraser- Lu, Adriana Proser, Catherine Raymond, Donald M. Stadtner, and U Thaw Kaung 228 Map of Myanmar and Surrounding Countries 229 Map of Myanmar 230 Chronology | Jacques Leider 231 Glossary 241 Bibliography 248 Contributors 250 Index 256 Photography Credits President’s Foreword This exhibition, “Buddhist Art of Myanmar,” is the first major Many individuals in Myanmar offered critical support for presentation in the United States devoted solely to the art of this project. They include H. E. U Aye Myint Kyu, Union Minis- Myanmar. The majority of artwork on loan in this exhibition ter for Culture; H. E. Daw Sanda Khin, Deputy Minister; U Kyaw has been drawn from five museums across Myanmar and rep- Oo Lwin, Director General, Department of Archaeology and the resents a significant occasion in the history of relations between National Museum; U Aung Naing Myint, Head of the Office of the United States and Myanmar during the past twenty years. the Ministry of Culture; U Thein Lwin, Deputy-Director General, The exhibition had its genesis three years ago when President Department of Archaeology and the National Museum; Daw Nu Thein Sein gave a public address at Asia Society in New York Mra Zan, Museum Consultant and Deputy-Director General- and expressed interest in fostering cultural exchange between retired, Department of Archaeology and the National Museum; Myanmar and the United States. Two months later Melissa Daw Mie Mie Khaing, Director, International Relations, Depart- Chiu, former Museum Director and Senior Vice President of ment of Archaeology and the National Museum; U Ngwe Tun Global Arts and Cultural Programs and current Director of the Myint, Director, National Museum, Yangon; U Myint Zaw, Direc- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, visited Myanmar to tor, National Museum, Nay Pyi Taw; Daw Htay Htay Swe, Deputy pursue the productive collaboration with officials in Myanmar Director of the Ministry Office; Daw Mie Mie Thet New, Deputy in the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Religious Affairs that Director, National Museum, Yangon; Daw Aye Aye Thinn, Deputy would become the present exhibition. Director, National Museum, Nay Pyi Taw; U Naing Win, Direc- Asia Society Museum has a long history of developing tor, Bagan Archaeology Branch, Department of Archaeology exhibitions that explore less familiar areas of Asian art. Whether and the National Museum; Daw Baby, Deputy Director, Bagan exquisite treasures of the little-known Liao dynasty (907–1125) Archaeological Museum; U Win Kyaing, Principal of the Field concurrent with the better studied Song dynasty (906–1279); School of Archaeology, Pyay; U Myo Tint Aung, Deputy Director, the dazzling gilded figures of the Densatil Monastery at its Pyay Archaeological Branch, Department of Archaeology and the height from the thirteenth to fifteenth century, but destroyed National Museum; and Daw Myint Myint Thein, Assistant Direc- during the twentieth century; or overlooked masterworks of tor, Sri Ksetra Archaeological Museum, Hmawza. Similarly, from revolutionary China or modern Iran, the Museum’s mission has the Union of Myanmar Ministry of Religious Affairs we thank H. E. been to introduce audiences to the best art from Asia. This has U Sant Sint, Union Minister for Religious Affairs; U Khaing Aung, often included the organization of major first-time loan exhibi- Director General, Department of Promotion and Propagation of tions such as one of extraordinary art of Gandhara from muse- Sasana; Daw Yin Yin Myint, Deputy Director, External Missions; and ums in Pakistan, or a historical survey of art and antiquities Daw Nwe Nwe, Assistant Curator, Kaba Aye Buddhist Art Museum. from Vietnam, representing more than twenty years of cultural Among the others who were most helpful in our efforts to realize diplomacy that predated normalization of relations between this project are Terry Tan, Serge Pun, and Judy Ko. I also would like to the United States and Vietnam. Like those projects, the present thank Alan Chong, Director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and exhibition provides insight into the culture of Myanmar at a the Paranakan Museum, Singapore, for his early support. time of its renewed engagement with much of the world. The We hope that a greater awareness of the history of Bud- project would not have come to fruition without the inexhaust- dhism in Myanmar will contribute to our deeper understanding ible efforts and enthusiasm of Melissa Chiu and I congratulate of Myanmar’s developing role in the twenty-first century. her and applaud her achievement. Asia Society is deeply grate- ful for her energy for this project, as for so many groundbreak- Josette Sheeran ing efforts the Museum has undertaken during her tenure. President and CEO viii Myanmar_Interior_MECH_Corr(2014-10-22).indd 8 10/22/14 4:46 PM Museum Preface We are proud to present “Buddhist Art of Myanmar,” an exhi- museum team: Adriana Proser, John H. Foster Senior Curator bition and catalogue which provide a framework for serious for Traditional Asian Art, who worked closely with the cura- understanding of the role of Buddhist art throughout many tors to shape the exhibition and publication; Clare McGowan, centuries in Myanmar. The artworks included in this presenta- Senior Registrar and Collections Manager, who coordinated tion reflect the country’s rich and varied ethnic populations the loans and transport and installation arrangements; John and religious practices, as well as its long history of interna- Gatti, Installation Manager; Leise Hook, Museum Publication tional trade and cultural exchange. Coordinator, for her work on the book and interpretive mate- We have sought the most experienced scholars to illu- rials; Nick Pozek, Manager of Museum Digital Strategy; Nancy minate our understanding of the subject of Buddhist art in Blume, Head of Museum Education Programs; Donna Saun- Myanmar and are grateful for the guidance of the exhibition ders, Executive Assistant; and Laili Paksima, former Manager curators, Sylvia Fraser-Lu and Donald M. Stadtner, for their of Global Museum Events and Special Initiatives. In addition commitment and enthusiasm for the project and the to Rachel Cooper, La Frances Hui, Anne Kirkup, and Rachel extraordinary scholarship that has resulted in this exquisite Rosado also have contributed to the exhibition and catalogue exhibition. They have been ably supported by Adriana in different capacities. Thanks also are due to our copublisher, Proser, John H. Foster Senior Curator for Traditional Asian Yale University Press; to Alicia Turner for her expert editorial Art, as well as by the contributors to this catalogue, and we assistance with the manuscript; to Miko McGinty and Anjali appreciate the work of Robert L. Brown, Jacques Leider, Pat- Pala for the truly beautiful book design; and to Clayton Vogel rick Pranke, Catherine Raymond, Heidi Tan, U Thaw Kaung, for the exceptional exhibition design. Others at Asia Soci- and U Tun Aung Chain. ety who should be thanked for their support include Tom Thanks also are due to the many public and private lend- Nagorski, Executive Vice President; Elaine Merguerian, Direc- ers to this exhibition whose efforts were an important part of tor of Communications and Marketing, and their team for pub- the realization of this project and deserve our deep apprecia- lic relations and marketing; Christine Davies, Linsey LaFrenier, tion (see page xiv).
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