Museum of Oriental Art (Turin)

Museum of Oriental Art
Museo d'Arte Orientale
Established December 5, 2008
Location Italy Palazzo Mazzonis, Via San Domenico 9-11, 10122 - Turin, Italy
Type Archaeology
Collection size Asian art
Website Official website

The Museum of Oriental Art (Italian: Museo d'Arte Orientale, also known by the acronym MAO) is a museum located in a 17th-century palazzo in the city of Turin, Italy.

The museum contains one of the most important collections of Asian art in Italy. The collection of some 2200 works represents cultural and artistic traditions from across the Asian continent.[1][2]

History

The museum opened on December 5, 2008, with the merger of the Asian collection of the Turin City Museum of Ancient Art at the Palazzo Madama and contributions from Turin City Hall, the Region of Piedmont, the Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli and Compagnia di San Paolo. Architect Andrea Bruno oversaw the restoration of the Palazzo Mazzonis to house the newly formed museum.

Around 10,000 people attended during the first year.

Collection

Two Japanese rock gardens are located in a glass-inclosed courtyard on the ground floor, as well as space for temporary exhibitions.

The first floor includes collections from India, ancient Gandhara, and Southeast Asia. The mezzanine between the first and second floors contains Japanese works (mainly statues, paintings, and lacquers). The collections of Chinese art (including neolithic China, ritual bronzes, lacquers and funerary art from the Han to Tang dynasties) are located on the second floor. The third floor Himalayan gallery is devoted to Buddhist art from Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet.

The fourth floor houses collections from Islamic countries, including Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula (mainly bronzes, ceramics, and tiles).

References

  1. ↑ "Quelle meraviglie Mai Viste In Italia" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
  2. ↑ "Mao Il Tesoro Dell' Arte Orientale" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2009-05-21.

Coordinates: 45°04′28″N 7°40′46″E / 45.0744°N 7.6794°E / 45.0744; 7.6794

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