Modern and Contemporary Asian Art

１．In the Dawn of Modern Art—Western Style Paintings in Asia

After mainly the 19th century, under the influence of colonialism and trade with the Western countries, Western style paintings began to be made in Asia using Western painting materials (oil and watercolor paints) and techniques (perspective and chiaroscuro) to depict local people, customs, landscape, and myths. This section presents the works created during the period when Asia encountered the Western modern world.

Such paintings were largely made as exports or souvenirs for the Westerners visiting Asia. For this reason, these paintings are characterized by the exotic charm reflecting the exoticism of the Westerners who purchased them. Examples of the Western style paintings include the China Trade Paintings from Canton (Guangdong) region, Western style paintings from Calcutta (the capital of British India, Kolkata as known today), and the Company School miniatures made for the officers of the