The Chinese Collection at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Established in 1966, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (AAMSF) contains one of the most extensive Asian art collections outside of Asia. The Chinese ceramics and porcelains provide an encyclopedic survey of the entire history of ceramic production in China, with representations from every period and major kiln. Furthermore, the AAMSF’s Avery Brundage Collection and Leventritt Collection both have particular strengths in Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain. The museum holds nearly 300 Chinese ritual bronzes, some almost 3,000 years old, including a rare Bronze Age rhinoceros-shaped vessel associated with the last king of the Shang dynasty. The comprehensive Chinese jade collection spans from the Neolithic period to the present. Amongst its bronze and stone Buddhist sculpture, the museum hosts the earliest known dated Buddha sculpture from China, dating to 338. Additionally, it contains a formidable collection of Chinese textiles, lacquers and objects made of cloisonné, ivory, bamboo and glass.
With the recent addition of the Yeh Family Collection, the museum contains a strong collection of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, with examples dating from the 7th to 20th centuries. In addition, the museum is justly famous for expansive Southeast Asian, Japanese and Korean art collections, including numerous examples of sculptures, paintings and decorative arts.