Asian Art Highlights from the Reopened Princeton University Art Museum

If I wasn't traveling enough already, just before the December holidays I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to New York to visit friends and family. While I was there, I also made time for something I'd been looking forward to for many years - finally visiting the newly reopened Princeton University Art Museum in Princeton, New Jersey.

The museum traces its origins back to 1755, and today its collection includes more than 117,000 works of art. Its previous home, which opened in 1966, had long since become too small for the growing collection. In 2018, architect David Adjaye and his firm Adjaye Associates, together with executive architects Cooper Robertson, were commissioned to design a completely new 144,000-square-foot (13,400-square-metre) building, nearly doubling the museum's size. Construction and the pandemic kept the museum closed for several years, but after a project costing around USD $300 million, it finally reopened on October 31, 2025.

Unfortunately, I only had about two hours to explore, so I focused almost entirely on the Asian galleries. That means I'll have to save the museum's excellent American and international collections for a future visit (it's only a 1.5 hour from New York Penn Station!).

The Asian collection is particularly impressive, with outstanding holdings of Chinese art - especially funerary and tomb objects - alongside significant Japanese and Korean works. The museum also has notable collections of Islamic, Himalayan, and South Asian art, making it a rewarding destination for anyone interested in the artistic traditions of the Asian region.

I'll quickly go through some of the Asian art highlights I saw from this trip to the reopened Princeton University Art Museum.

Image 1a. A view of the entrance to the main Asian art gallery, with the museum's signature Chinese Song Dynasty Guanyin sculpture at the forefront.

Image 1b. Guanyin, also known Avalokiteshvara, is the Buddhist deity of compassion and remained on earth to help ease humanity's suffering. Carved from wood during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), this figure is one of the most famous examples in North America. The sculpture of Guanyin features a graceful 'royal ease' pose, compassionate face and wonderful details in the layers of carved lacquer on the draping robes.

Image 2. In this photo we see a selection of Chinese earthenware tomb figurines from the Han (206 BC - 220 AD), Wei (386-584) and Tang (618-907) Dynasty. These depict different figures and would have been buried with a member of the noble class - the idea was that personifications of these objects would travel with their owner to the afterlife. The sculptures include horses, camels, soldiers, attendants, carts, and in the top right - a base for a bronze 'money tree'.

Image 3. Here we see an incredible set of large Chinese polychromed earthenware 'earth spirit' guardians from the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Like the photos above, these are tomb figures, and these beasts are used to ward bad omens away from their owners grave. These guardian are exceptionally dynamic in their poses, have unique fierce faces, and are also very detailed.

Image 4. Here is a selection of Chinese painted wood coffin panels from the Liao Dynasty (916-1125). The selection at Princeton are very well-known since they have one of the largest collections of this category in the world. Their Asian art department curator Zoe Kwok wrote about this subject in her seminal exhibition 'Eternal Feast: Banqueting in Chinese Art from the 10th to the 14th Century' (2019).

Image 5. Featured in this group shot is a wide selection of Chinese ceramics and porcelain from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), all the way to the Cultural Revolution (1960s).

Image 6. A lovely carving of a Chinese gilt lacquer wood carved figure of an emaciated luohan (Buddhist ascetic) from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).

Image 7. Another Buddhist sculpture, this is a very fine Chinese limestone carved figure of a seated Buddha from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-584).

Image 8a. In this photo is a large and detailed Chinese ceramic figure of a seated Guanyin from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is inscribed by the maker, Qiao Bin 橋彬 (the Younger) and dated to 1500. The use of the sancai glaze is interesting since it was more often associated with sculptures from the Tang Dynasty.

Image 8b. The reverse of the Guanyin and the inscription which is dated to 弘治十三年 (the 13th year of the Hongzhi reign) which correlates to the year 1500.

Image 9. This is a very cool display case in the Asian art gallery at Princeton. It contains numerous small objects from China, Japan and Korean and is reminiscent of Victorian era curiosity cabinets.

Image 10. In the Japanese section of the Asian art galleries is this beautiful ukiyo-e (floating world) woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) titled 'Komurasaki of the Miuraya and Shirai Gonpachi'. This piece is particular rare because the conditon is so perfect with the intact bold colours - particularly the purple and the reds.

Utamaro was one of the most famous ukiyo-e artists of the 18th Century and renowned for his sensual images of women. However in this scene, the artist depicts the tragic story of two lovers who could not be together.

Image 11. The Japanese section also featured this well-carved wood figure of a standing Jizō Bosatsu. Dating to the 13th Century of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Jizō is a Buddhist deity who aids people to salvation. In addition, he is also a protector of children.

Image 12. The Princeton University Art Museum also contains numerous highlights from Korea, including this outstanding example of a celadon melon-form ewer and cover from the 12th Century of the Goryeo period (918-1392). The shape and glaze is pleasant is to look at, and the body contains finely incised designs of florals and lotus petals.

Image 13. In the Islamic side of things is this extravagant Qajar painted papier-mâché stationary box from 18th Century Iran. The detals on it are stunning with a.ll the small scenes of fiuire, animals, and florals.

Image 14. And finally, one of my favourite highlights at the Princeton University Art Museum is this magnificent 18th Century Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Sitātapatrā, an important Buddhist female bodhisattva. (A bodhisattva is an enlightened Buddhist being who chose to remain on the earthly realm). She is also known as the 'white parasol' (the figure is supposed to hold one, but it is now missing) and is depicted with 1,000 heads, 1,000 arms and 1,000 legs. Sitātapatrā protects Buddhist practitioners from diesease and supernatural powers.

Image 15. The gift shop on the first floor also has a lot of Asian art reading material including books and magazines. Check it out!

Image 16. A mid-December late afternoon view of the new Princeton University Art Museum.

Thank you for reading this blog and hope everyone has a happy holidays. I'm about to head out on my big Asia trip that will take me to South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan! I'll report about this when I get back in early January. You can always keep up to date with my travels through my Instagram page @anthonywuart.