See Asian Art That’s Not So Asian: The Freer Gallery of Art

Written by Xihang Y. (All media by author)

What first pops up your mind when you think of Asian Art? For most people in the US, Asian Art may mean a blue and white porcelain decoration in their home or an old scroll hanging on the wall with either a landscape or a beautiful woman in a kimono painted on it.

Have you ever thought about a Western oil painting among stacks of porcelain? Have you ever thought of seeing American-created artworks in an Asian art museum? Have you ever thought of seeing American politics, customs, and history in an Asian art museum?

Today I am bringing you to the Freer Gallery of Art located in Washington DC, and demonstrating to you why this Asian art museum is not so Asian:

– Unusual History: American Builders, American Collectors, American Creators

– Unusual Exhibition and Appearance: Mixture of Religions and Cultures

– Unusual Importance: A Matter for World Politics

Unusual History

The Freer Gallery of Art became the first art museum on the Smithsonian campus in 1923. Its collections are from Charles Lang Freer, an American businessman. The collections of Asian and American arts were considered to be a gift, from Freer to the nation, that was highly regarded and supported by President Theodore Roosevelt then.

The American government quickly responded to Freer’s proposal and agreed to build this Asian art gallery. At that time, Asia was gradually gaining importance and attention in international politics, and Freer’s collection itself was also a valuable gift, which was described as “literally priceless” by the President. It looked like a very sensible choice to build an art museum for Asia in the capital.

While the gallery houses ancient art collections from India, Korea, Japan, China, and Islamic countries that can be dated back to Asian artists as early as the 12^th century, another part of its exhibitions, including its most famous “Peacock Room”, were actually created by American artists such as McNeil Whistler during the Aesthetic movement in the late nineteenth century.

To know better about how politicians and Freer finally decided to build this gallery, I suggest that you view the Material Papers Relating To The Freer Gift and Bequest, which archives Freer’s letters and proposal of giving his collections as gift to the nation.

Unusual Exhibition

The Freer Gallery also subverts American stereotypes of Asia in many ways. Asia is often seen as a whole continent with few differences between the countries in the United States, but the gallery’s collections showcase a variety of religions and traditions in different Asian countries.

The Indian Bodhisattva sculpture teaches people to reconnect one with the body, the Islamic country’s tableware demonstrates the Islamic rationale for focusing on one’s senses, and the Chinese Buddha sculpture reflects the Chinese interpretation of Buddhism.

The most stunning exhibition is the “Peacock Room” on the left. The room was used in 1870s by the British Leyland to display his collection of real Chinese blue and white porcelain in Qing dynasty. However, the wall of his room was later painted by the American artist Whistler with blue and gold that corresponds to the Kangxi style ceramics. When it was collected by Freer, he then installed his own collection of a drawing of a western woman in this room. This room has become a combination of artworks and collectors from different countries. The mixture of cultures shown is astonishing.

(You can click the video beside to view every face of the Peacock Room)

Unusual Importance

Today’s Freer Gallery of Art is of national and international importance. Walking straight to its gate, the Washington monument is on the right and the Capitol is on the left. I could see the national flag of the United States flapping above the old building of the gallery, while Japanese painting and Chinese characters hung below. The American elements look in harmony with them.

In 1906, when Freer first proposed his collections as a gift to this nation, President Roosevelt said, “it is impossible to speak in too high terms of the munificence shown by Mr. Freer in this offer; and it is on which the Government of the United States should at once close with as a matter of course.”

For America in 1906, building this museum is not only a matter of luck to gain priceless artworks, but also a turning point to rethink Asia’s place in the international politics. For Americans today, this museum is a demonstration of how well the American society is rethinking its racial conflicts and cultural blending today.

At the center of the gallery is a courtyard with fountain, where tourists from different countries and races regularly sit quietly. Every tourist is required to wear a mask., a reminder that COVID-19 has not gone away from our American people’s lives yet. Similarly, neither has xenophobia and anti-Asian hate. As I sat quietly in that little courtyard with Americans with all different skin colors and religions, who seemed to all appreciate the meanings conveyed by the artworks, I couldn’t help but start wondering about a future without xenophobia and racial injustices.

How Do I Get There?

The Freer Gallery is located on the National Mall, in an open plaza with grass and yellow sand. The address is Jefferson Drive at 12^th Street SW, Washington, DC, and it’s usually open during Friday to Tuesday, 10:00am-5:30pm. It is within walking distance to the Smithsonian metro stop that connects the Orange and Blue Lines.

Click on “location” to access its detailed location on google map, or see the image below:

Suggested Reading

If you are interested in an actual visit in the Freer Gallery of Art, here are some resources:

Inside Map and Guide of the Freer Gallery of Art: download the inside map that leads your way to the artworks from a specific country, or the restrooms and café.

9 Must-See Things at the Freer Gallery of Art: Read the blog to see to which exhibitions you should pay attention to.

If you are interested in online touring in the Freer Gallery of Art, here are some online resources:

Virtual Tour: A website that brings you to see some crucial exhibitions of the Freer Gallery of Museum virtually.

Archives Collection Descriptions: A website where you can browse or search to see the pictures and descriptions about each archived artwork.

Freer Resource Gateway: An online resource gateway to the Archives’ collection of letters, papers, and photographs related Charles Lang Freer.

Other fun news regarding the Freer Gallery of Art:

Don’t call it the Freer/Sackler: