The Asian collection includes works from many eras and countries, including India, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Java. Among the strongest and most comprehensive, the Chinese collection begins with archaeological objects which explore ancient Chinese and Korean traditions of burial artifacts placed in tombs, including clay figurative sculpture and ancient pottery and bronze. The Museum’s oldest artifacts can be found in this area.
The evolution of Chinese ceramic development, including its culmination in porcelain, is explored in depth in the collection. Examples of jade carving from the Neolithic era to the 19th century are complemented by later bronze objects and cloisonné enamel from China and Japan. The collection features Chinese paintings from the 14th to the 20th centuries. In Japanese art, the collection features samurai armor, prints, screens, and paintings, along with several sets of Japanese armor and accessories. Contemporary works by Japanese ceramicists, a globally recognized phenomenon, augment the more historical works of Japan.
Religious works of art from Hindu and Buddhist traditions of several countries include gilded bronze sculpture and two complete shrines. Significant holdings in Sri Lankan Buddhist art distinguish the Museum’s collection nationally. A collection of Sino-Tibetan Buddhist bronzes represents nearly every Esoteric Buddhist deity. Other Buddhist works from Thailand, Burma and Java expand the representation of Buddhism’s broad spread across Asia.
The Art of the Americas Collections feature Art of the American West, American Art (Pre-Modern), and Viceregal Latin American Art. These Collections house works dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Through the objects on view, we can uncover historical connections across America, Latin American, viceregal, and Spanish Colonial Art by using the Collection more broadly, as well as contemporary cross-cultural intersections.
MoreThe Art of Asia Collection feature historical and modern works of Asia, highlighting the unique cultures and artistic and religious traditions of the people of this expansive region. The collection spans more than one thousand years of history from India and Iran to China and Japan.
MoreThe Modern and Contemporary Art Collection at Phoenix Art Museum feature American, European and Latin American modern art holdings from these previously siloed Collections, re-position the Museum’s comprehensive Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art as the second largest of the Museum’s Collections.
MoreThe Art of Europe Collection features historical masterpieces from the 14th through the 19th centuries, including some of the most celebrated names of the Western European artistic tradition.
MoreThe Latin American Art Collection is a sub focus area for Modern and Contemporary (1960 – Present) and features more than 1,000 works from across North, Central and South America. From Spanish Colonial to contemporary works by living artists, the collection explores artistic traditions that are especially meaningful to our shared experience in a border region.
MoreThrough a landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum presents three annual exhibitions of photography to its community, drawn from the CCP’s unparalleled collection of historical and contemporary photography.
MoreThe Thorne Rooms provide a glimpse into replications of rooms found in America and Europe, at an exacting 1:12 scale. A beloved favorite of visitors of all ages, they have been painstakingly preserved for nearly a century.
MoreOn view for a limited time, exhibitions present art from across the centuries and the globe, from iconic fashion to Old Master paintings, contemporary photography to historical objects of Asia.
MOREFeaturing more than 20,000 objects, the collection spans the globe, bringing the world to our city, and our city to the world.
MORE