East Converges with West: The Asian Treasures of the Musée Guimet

5,000 years of rare Asian artworks and artefacts spanning countries such as Japan, China, Korea, India are housed in Musée Guimet, Paris.

The Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Pompidou Center, and potentially the latest addition, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, are the primary museums that arise when contemplating museums in Paris. The Musée des Art Asiatiques Guimet, located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, houses the most extensive and significant collection of Asian antiquities in Europe. The Musée Guimet offers a distinctive opportunity to engage in a contemplative creative exploration of Asian art and culture, featuring an extensive collection of artifacts including Afghan Buddhas, Japanese Zen monk items, Samurai armor, Indian textiles, exquisite Chinese art, and Khmer relics.

Musée Guimet located at 6, Place d’Iéna, Paris.

The Musée Guimet presents itself as a representation of the many cultures and civilizations of Asia, encompassing a temporal span of five millennia and a geographical expanse from India to Japan. Upon entering the library dome, you will be welcomed with a spacious hall adorned with numerous statues, predominantly originating from Cambodia, signifying the museum's focus on Asian art.

 The collections, notable for their quality and diversity, encompass over 45,000 artifacts originating from the Neolithic period. Statues of Buddha, Amida, and Shiva mingle with calligraphy, Sumi paintings, and decorative arts. The artworks are organized into sections, allowing for the examination and comparison of the art from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, China, Korea, India, and Japan with that of Afghanistan/Pakistan, the Himalayas (notably housing one of the finest collections of Himalayan art in the West at the Guimet), and Southeast and Central Asia. The Library's collection encompasses historical photographs and artifacts, featuring literature on Asian philosophy, religion, and art.

The museum’s library is under the giant dome.

Committed to His Profession

 Émile Guimet curated the original collection, comprising hundreds of Chinese artifacts and Japanese artworks. Guimet (1836–1918), a wealthy entrepreneur from Lyon, dedicated his life to exploration and adventure. In the 19th century, the French government tasked him with investigating Asian faiths. He intended to establish a museum focused on antiquity, ancient Egypt, and Asian religions.

 In 1876, Guimet embarked on a worldwide tour, during which he visited China, India, and Japan. He amassed numerous Asian artworks and artifacts along the Silk Road. He was captivated by contemporary artworks as well as historical artifacts. His collection was relocated to Paris in 1889, the year the Eiffel Tower was finished, from its original location in a museum in Lyon.

 The museum's official designation, the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet, evolved during Guimet's lifetime from an emphasis on the religions of Ancient Egypt to the art of Asian civilizations. Motivated by Guimet, several archaeologists journeyed to Cambodia and Siam (formerly referred to as Thailand) to investigate the indigenous cultures and procure further artifacts for the burgeoning museum. In 1884, Guimet bequeathed his extensive collection to France. The Musée du Louvre's Department of Asiatic Arts was established in 1945 following the relocation of its Oriental art collection to the Guimet Museum. The Egyptian artifacts from the Musée Guimet were transferred to the Musée du Louvre in exchange and are being shown there.

 Since Tibetan art collections were established as religious icons in 1912, the museum has progressively diminished the quantity of religious artifacts to emphasize other Asian treasures. During colonial administration, commencing in 1927 with the acquisition by the French Museums Directorate, the Musée Guimet received extensive collections from China and Central Asia.

 Since that time, the collections have broadened and diversified, while maintaining a fascination with and appreciation for Asian art and the region's historical resilience and creativity. The gifts of Paul Pelliot and Edouard de Chavannes from their expeditions to China and Central Asia, coupled with the original artifacts collected by Louis Delaport that established the foundation for the Trocadéro’s Indochinese Museum, facilitated the expansion of the collections in 1927. In 1965, the museum concentrated predominantly on expanding its collection pertaining to ancient India.

 Abundant Antiquities

The Musée Guimet is a haven for artwork and artefacts during wars and conflicts. From December 2006 to April 2007, it housed items from the National Museum of Afghanistan, popularly known as the Kabul Museum. These included antiquities from the Indo-Scythian treasure of Tillia Tepe and archaeological artefacts from the Greco-Bactrian city of Ai-Khanoum. The “Bactrian gold hoard” comprised around 20,600 ornaments, including coins, jewellery, and other items crafted from gold, silver, ivory, and an astounding gold crown.

The 70 per cent of the 100,000 exhibits on display at the museum in Kabul were lost when the civil war in Afghanistan broke out in 1992 due to repeated looting and missile damage. Other organisations, such as museums in Germany and the United Kingdom, also successfully rescued numerous items. Since 2007, these organisations have assisted in recovering more than 8,000 stolen works and have returned the items in their custody to Afghanistan. Regretfully, since the Taliban have just returned, it is unknown what has happened to the items housed in the National Museum of Afghanistan.

Thanks to the extensive refurbishment work that began in 1996, Guimet now has access to the latest technological developments in museology to present and protect art items. The program’s inception dates back to 1991, when the museum relocated to the Buddhist Pantheon, a nearby structure, to make room for a more extensive renovation. The institution’s primary goal was to establish itself as a leading hub for information about Asian civilisations in the centre of Europe.

Highlights of the Museum

The ground floor has artifacts from India and Southeast Asia, including Hindu, Buddhist, and Khmer items. Prominent displays comprise Indian art and textiles from the Jean and Krishna Riboud collection, featuring exquisite artworks and jewelry from India dating back to the 17th and 19th centuries, donated in February 2020.

The Asian-themed cafe located at Musee Guimet.

The Greco-Roman glassware, lacquerware from the Han Chinese period, and some of India’s oldest known ivories are to be noticed. The astounding Chinese collections comprise over 20,000 objects spanning seven millennia of art. These include jade discs, ceramics and bronzes from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. There are also paintings from the Tang and Qing dynasties. Please don’t skip the Japanese section, a diverse and rich presentation of Japanese art from its origins during the third and second millennia BCE until the Meiji era (1868).

For the Korean exhibitions, the collection includes stunning celadon, alongside bronzes from the Koryo period and paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Library on the third floor offers European and Asian books and journals for visitors to peruse.

After immersing yourself in these fantastic and rich visual cultures, you can head down to the cafe on the lower ground floor named Salon des Porcelaines, where the food predominantly focuses on an Asian theme. After refreshments, you can browse the books at the museum’s boutique bookshop. There is also a handful of beautiful merchandise, such as jewellery, silk scarves, and tableware.

The library-cum-boutique offers books and an array of museum-related merchandise.

Visitors to the Musée Guimet should anticipate a distinctly unique cultural experience compared to what is often encountered in Paris. The building's interior is modern, spacious, and luminous, effectively showcasing the displayed artifacts, despite the façade largely retaining its original appearance. Notwithstanding the disparity, the result is a tranquil, pleasurable, and relaxing experience. Seek out street posters advertising special exhibitions; these are typically outstanding and should not be overlooked if you are in Paris during that time.

 Musée Guimet operates daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., excluding Tuesdays. It is located in the 16th arrondissement at 6 Place d’Iéna. The nearest metro stations are Boissière (Line 6) and Iéna (Line 9), located right across the street. The Eiffel Tower is accessible on foot within five minutes by traversing the Pont d’Iéna.