Asian Civilizations Museum

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Curious Cat

exterior of the Asian Civilization Museum in Singapore

The Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore is packed with great artworks. See a few photos in this post.

Illustration of Rustam defeating Afrasiyab, 1560, Iran

This museum is definitely worth a visit for those who enjoy museums. The Asian Civilisations Museum’s flagship at Empress Place opened in 2003. Occupying over 14,000 square metres at the newly-restored Empress Place Building, it houses 11 galleries which showcase over 1300 artefacts from the Museum’s growing collections on the civilisations of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia/ Islamic. These collections include recent acquisitions as well as artefacts inherited from the historic Southeast Asian ethnographic collection of the former Raffles Museum.

Continue reading →

Paintings From the Museum D’Orsay at the National Museum of Singapore

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Curious Cat

As I wrote previously the Dreams and Reality exhibit from the Museum D’Orsay at the National Museum of Singapore is excellent. Here are some more photos of a few of the paintings included in the exhibit.

photo of paining by Paul Cézanne: The Bay of Marseille seen from L'Estaque

The Bay of Marseille seen from L'Estaque by Paul Cézanne, 1879

photo of painting by Paul Gauguin: Les Alyscamps

Les Alyscamps by Paul Gauguin, 1888

There is an interesting story behind this painting by Guaguin. Following months of correspondence, Paul Gauguin joined Van Gogh in Arles, France in October 1888. Both were intent on depicting a non-naturalist landscape. The two artists painted some identical subjects to compare their work with each other and chose the site of the Alyscamps to paint and compare.

The painting portrays an ancient Roman cemetery, “Les Alyscamps” or “Elysian Fields” which were located south east of the Roman city walls. It appears that the two men worked together at Les Alyscamps between October 28 and 31, 1888. Van Gogh painted four views, the Les Alyscamps pair and the pair of Falling Autumn Leaves paintings. Gauguin produced two paintings.

Continue reading →

Dreams and Reality: Museum D’Orsay Exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Curious Cat

photo of gallery in the Singapore Art Museum, temporary D'Orsay exhibit

Room in the Singapore Art Museum D'Orsay exhibit. All photos are by John Hunter.

The Dreams and Reality exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore (now until 5 February 2012, it opened a few weeks ago) is excellent. Musee D’Orsay is one of my favorite museums; it is located in Paris, with many other great museums including the Louvre.

photo of Edgar Degas painting showing dancers climbing a staircase

Dancers Climbing a Staircase (1886-1890) by Edgar Degas, one of my favorites.

The exhibit includes many exceptional paintings by artists including Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, Rousseau, Pissarro, Mondrian, Cézanne, Gauguin and Renior (multiple paintings by many of them). I must say I don’t think the Monet and Manet paintings are their best work, but really who am I to judge them. This exhibit is definitely worth a visit for any art lovers in Singapore. If you are traveling to Singapore before February 2012, plan on stoping by to enjoy the paintings.

Continue reading →