Encounters - the Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800
Edited by Anna Jackson & Amin Jaffer

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The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is renowned for its groundbreaking exhibitions. This autumn is has another one called Encounters - The Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800 and this book of the same name has been published to complement it.

It is a truly magnificent volume that tells the story of the interaction between East and West through a series of essays from seven international scholars.

It begins with Vasco da Gama who landed in India in 1498, the first real contact between Asia and Europe. This led to trade between the two continents as well as cultural and intellectual exchanges and influence.

The book is split into three sections. The first, Discoveries, looks at the fascination that Asian art and design had for Europeans even before there was direct contact. It also tells the story of the early European journeys to Asia and what they found there.

The second section, Encounters, looks at the personal interaction between people from Asia and Europe. For example, when Vasco da Gama and other Europeans landed in India, they didn't realise the importance of gift giving to their hosts. In the essay on Diplomatic Encounters: Europe and South Asia, Amin Jaffer quotes from a 19th century book, "Gama had failed to take rich presents with him...[and] was able to present its ruler with only a meagre offering, among which were 12 pieces of striped cloth, six hats, four strings of coral, a case of sugar, two casks of oil and two casks of honey." Jaffer goes on to say, "The gift seemed particularly insulting since Gama had described himself as an ambassador from the King of Portugal, whom he claimed was 'Lord of many countries and the possessor of great wealth of every description, exceeding that of any king of these parts'." It illustrates how misunderstandings between people from such different cultures occurred.

In the final section of the book, Exchanges, there is an exploration of the way the two cultures influenced each other. Although, here in the West, we are used to seeing chinoiserie and other items which show a strong Eastern influence, we often don't realise that the cultural exchange worked in the other direction too. For example, Jesuit religious paintings introduced the concept of perspective to Indian Mughal art. In her essay on Europe in Asia:The Impact of Western Art and Technology in China, Catherine Pagani says, "The Cantonese artisans did not slavishly copy foreign pieces, but rather developed a style that was a unique synthesis of European and Chinese aesthetics..."

V&A Publications can always be relied upon to produce beautiful and informative books but with Encounters: The Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1600, they have surpassed themselves. It is lavishly illustrated with colour pictures on every page showing paintings, ivories, carvings, costume, lacquer and textiles and much more besides.

If you love beautiful objects and have even a passing interest in history, buy this book even if you don't have the opportunity to visit the exhibition at the V&A, as it tells the fascinating story of the meeting of two very diverse cultures.

Quick Facts

Title: Encounters: The Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1600

Editors: Anna Jackson & Amin Jaffer

Publisher: V&A Publications

ISBN: 1851774327

Binding: Hardback

Publication Date: September 2004

Price: £45

All information relates to the UK edition.

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Copyright © 2004 by Carol Fisher All Rights Reserved