How is Asia defined?
In essence, Asia is an idea constructed by ever-changing geographical, political and cultural
perceptions. The ancient Greeks first used the term to describe lands immediately east of the
Aegean Sea. Europeans would later use synonymous terms such as the “Orient” and “East” that are
now acknowledged as Eurocentric and oppositional (“Orient/Occident”; “East/West”). Today, “Asia”
is the preferred term for the continent’s aggregate of countries, territories, and regions.
Collecting Art of Asia displays a sampling of art from the Museum’s collection produced across
a broad span of time by artists born in areas currently within the borders of the following regions
and countries:
East Asia China, Japan, and South Korea
Southeast Asia Cambodia and Thailand
South Asia India and Pakistan
Learn more about the arts and history of Asia:
Recommended websites
Asia Society Museum
asiasocietymuseum.org
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M.
Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
asia.si.edu
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Timeline of Art History
metmuseum.org/toah
Online Museum Resources on
Asian Art/Weatherhead East Asian
Institute at Columbia University
afemuseums.easia.columbia.edu