MAY 2003

VOLUME 34 - NUMBER 5

'Objects of Instruction: Treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies' is an aptly named exhibition. It demonstrates that the true capital of an institution of learning does not merely lie with its material resources but with the ability of its teachers to use them to further and impart knowledge, and to inspire. In each of the articles about the SOAS collections, the author's dedication to and passion for her or his field of expertise is clearly present

Anna Contadini, the exhibition's curator, explains what motivated her to agitate for a long-term project to highlight the school's collections. John Carpenter's introduction to its East Asian rare book and manuscript collection bears out the need for research. Contadini's second article introduces the Anvar-i Suhayli, an early Mughal illuminated manuscript. Carpenter places key works in SOAS within the overall context of manuscript and print culture in Japan. Timon Screech relates the exciting tale of sixteen Japanese castaways told in an early 19th century manuscript. Crispin Branfoot examines paintings made by an Indian artist for a Western patron from the missionary archives at SOAS. Elizabeth Moore deciphers an astrological manuscript from Burma and places it within the context of its Buddhist culture. Yoshiko Yasumura and Stacey Pierson profile George Eumorfopoulos and Sir Percival David, two early British collectors of Chinese art, whose benefactions have significantly enhanced the school's holdings.

Jane portal described recent discoveries from the tomb of China's first emperor, currently on view at the British Museum, and Xu Zhengwei introduces a new museum of bamboo carving in Jiading. We pay tribute to Dietrich Seckel and William Watson, pioneering professors of Asian art history in Europe.

FEATURES
Stephen D. Owyoung. 'Lofty Mountains, Flowing Waters: An Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Landscape Painting', Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai
Christian Luczanits. The 12th Century Buddhist Monuments of Nako
Deborah Klimburg-Salter. The Nako Preservation Project
Bo Lawergren. The Metamorphosis of the Qin, 500 BCE-CE 500Harold Mok. Double Beauty: Qing Dynasty Couplets from the Lechangzai Xuan Collection
Chang Qing. Search and Research: The Provenance of Longmen Images in the Freer Collection
PREVIEWS & REVIEWS
Summer Art Fairs in London - Preview Highlights
Alfreda Murck. Exhibition Reviews: 'Paintings and Calligraphy from the Jin, Tang, Song and Yuan Periods: An Exhibition of National Treasures', Shanghai Museum
INTERVIEWS
Catherine Maudsley. An Interview with Irene Chou
COMMENTARY
John Sanday. Commentary: I Dreamed Last Night I Visited Angkor