The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco will feature art from 19th century Burma and Siam, two neighboring kingdoms in Southeast Asia. During this period, Burma and Siam were known for their golden-roofed temples and exquisitely decorated palaces. The exhibit includes mother-of-pearl furniture, colorful textiles, ceramics and manuscripts.
Although Thailand and Burma have much in common, they have a history of rivalry. The primary Thai kingdom was conquered by Burma in 1767, but subsequent lost battles to the British reduced Burma to a colony. As a result, Thailand regained its strength and independence and its art flourished under the sponsorship of wealthy families.
The art featured in this exhibit is from the Asian Art Museum's collection, two-thirds of which were donated from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection. The exhibition is organized into three sections: central Burma, central Thailand, and eastern Burma/northern Thailand. The exhibit is open October 23rd through January 10th, 2009 and more information regarding ticket prices and gallery hours can be found by visiting www.asianart.org.
