In January 1974, the art collector Hans-Wilhelm Siegel (1903–1997) founded the non-profit Oriental Endowment for the Promotion of East Asian Art in Cologne. The endowment’s fund came from the proceeds Siegel received from the sale of his important collection of Chinese and Southeast Asian art objects to the city of Cologne. The collection was built during his five decades as a businessman in East Asia. Siegel’s patronage inspired other collectors to establish art foundations that are now an integral part of Cologne’s museum landscape. To mark the 50th anniversary, the exhibition presents fifty selected works from the Siegel Collection as well as acquisitions that have since been financed with the earnings of the endowment’s capital for the Museum of East Asian Art.
Chinese art has been the focus of acquisitions to date. Large-format Buddhist sculptures, archaic bronze sacrificial vessels, early ceramics, imperial porcelain and paintings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which are internationally recognised as high-end representatives of their genres, have been acquired. Some of the donations are being shown to the public for the first time, including a filigree jade bowl in the shape of a lotus blossom, erotic album pages and furniture from a scholar’s studio. Among the Japanese objects, an almost six-metres-long scroll with sketches for eighteen ritual mandalas from the secret teachings of Shingon Buddhism and several avant-garde calligraphies by Inoue Yūichi (1916–1985) stand out.
n its golden jubilee year, the Oriental Endowment has now expanded its range of acquisitions to include Korean art and donated two works by contemporary ceramist Young-Jae Lee to the museum.
SUPPORTED BY
Orientstiftung zur Förderung der Ostasiatischen Kunst
Fördererkreis des Museums für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln
Young-Jae Lee, Spindelvase, 2018
© Young-Jae Lee
Rheinisches Bildarchiv Köln, Marion Mennicken
Opening times
Tuesday to Sunday
11am – 5pm
Every first Thursday in the month
11am – 10pm (except October 3, 2024)
Closed Mondays; open on All Saints' Day
Museum is closed on December 24th, Christmas Day (25 Dec), New Year's Eve (31 Dec) and New Year's Day (1 Jan). Museum is opend on Easter Monday, Whit Monday, German Unity Day and December 26.
Admission prices
€ 9,50 / € 5,50
Admission to "Flowers for Frieda" is free.
KölnTag on the first Thursday of the month (except public holidays): free admission to the Museum for all Cologne residents.
How to get here
Public transport: Tram routes 1 and 7 and bus route 142, alight at ‘Universitätsstrasse’
There is a car park at the museum
more
Barrier-free
The museum is barrier-free. Disabled toilet available.
more
Museum für
Ostasiatische Kunst Köln
Universitätsstrasse 100
D 50674 Köln
Ticket office +49.221.221-28617
mok@museenkoeln.de
Legal notice
Opening times
Tuesday to Sunday
11am – 5pm
Every first Thursday in the month
11am – 10pm
Closed Mondays; open on All Saints' Day
Museum is closed on December 24th, Christmas Day (25 Dec), New Year's Eve (31 Dec) and New Year's Day (1 Jan). Museum is opend on Easter Monday, Whit Monday, German Unity Day and December 26.
more
Admission prices
€ 7,50 /reduced € 4,50
from 20 June
€ 9,50 /reduced € 5,50
KölnTag on the first Thursday of the month (except public holidays): free admission to the Museum for all Cologne residents.
more
How to get here
Public transport: Tram routes 1 and 7 and bus route 142, alight at ‘Universitätsstrasse’
There is a car park at the museum
more
Barrier-free
The museum is barrier-free. Disabled toilet available.
more
Museum für
Ostasiatische Kunst Köln
Universitätsstrasse 100
D 50674 Köln
Ticket office +49.221.221-28617
mok@museenkoeln.de
Legal notice
