Filson-Saward Collection of East Asian Art
This exhibit is a digital catalogue of objects from a private local collection with a legacy at Tulane University as alumni and faculty, both current and emeritus; it presents previously unpublished artwork with brief commentary in coordination with Dr. Fan Zhang, Professor of Practice of Asian Art. The collection consists of three Chinese painted scrolls, four framed Chinese paintings, one Chinese painted fan, one carved bamboo with Tang Dynasty poetry and landscape scene in relief, all acquired during the 1982 visit to China by Ron Filson, Dean Emeritus of the Tulane School of Architecture. Additionally, the collection includes one painted Tibetan Thangka dated tentatively to the 18th or 19th centuries and one carved ivory piece from Siam (pre-1932 Thailand) acquired by Dr. Susan Saward, former Professor of Art History of Newcomb College. A series of four Japanese ukiyo-e prints and one painting were acquired by the mother of Dr. Saward, the artist Virginia Saward, in the 1950’s in Portland, Oregon; four lack confirmed artists or dates, but the fifth is a watercolor that takes its composition from Katsushika Hokusai’s Ejiri in Suruga Province (ca. 1830-1832), part of the well-known series 36 Views of Mt. Fuji.
Duration: April 2020 - April 2021
Curated By: Lily Filson
Location: Online
Acknowledgements: With gratitude to students Howey Hao for his assistance with translations from Chinese to English and to Kamryn Pigg and Lydia Mattson for their work photographing some of the works.