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Chasing the Flaming Pearl

Symposium in honour of Christiaan Jörg's 80th Birthday

This November, Prof. Dr. Christiaan Jörg will celebrate his 80th birthday. To celebrate this special occasion, the Groninger Museum is organising a two-day event in honour of Christiaan’s contribution to our field over the past 40 years.

We would like to invite you to join this ‘birthday party’ with the museum and Christiaan!

Symposium Day I - 8 November
On 8 November 2024, the Groninger Museum will host an international symposium with distinguished scholars such as Rosemary Scott, Prof. Dr. Qin Dashu, William Sargent, Prof. Dr. Anne Gerritsen, and Prof. Dr. Christiaan Jörg, who will present lectures about their research and other interesting topics in the field of East Asian ceramics. Attendees will also have an opportunity to view the Groninger Museum’s latest exhibition, Dragons & Demons: 5000 Years of Asian Ceramics from the Anders Collection, curated by Christiaan Jörg together with Lecong Zhou, Junior Curator of Asian Ceramics.

Symposium Day II - 9 November
On 9 November 2024, attendees will travel to Leeuwarden to see the new exhibition Wu Zetian, the Only Female Emperor of China at the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics.

This symposium will be conducted exclusively in English.

Symposium Programme DAY I

9:30
Walk-in with coffee and tea at the Groninger Museum

10:20-10:30
Opening words: Prof. Dr. Andreas Blühm, Director, Groninger Museum

10:30-10:45
Introduction: Lecong
Zhou, Junior Curator of Asian Ceramics, Groninger Museum

10:45-11:30
Lecture 1: Rosemary Scott, independent academic consultant Asian Art at RS Asian Art, former president of the Oriental Ceramic Society

11:30-12:20
Lecture 2: Prof. Dr. Anne Gerritsen, Professor of History, Warwick University & Chair of Asian Art, Leiden University

12:20-12:40
Q&A

12:40-14:05
Lunch & viewing exhibition Dragons & Demons: 5,000 Years of Asian Ceramics from the Anders Collection

14:05-14:45
Lecture 3: Prof. Dr. Dashu Qin,
professor, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University

14:45-15:30
Lecture 4: Prof. Dr. Christiaan J. A. Jörg, former curator, Groninger Museum & professor emeritus, Leiden University

15:30-15:50
Q&A

15:50-16:20
Lecture 5: William R. Sargent, independent curator, former H. A. Crosby Forbes Curator of Asian Export Art, Peabody Essex Museum

16:30-17:30
Drinks

Programme Day II

10:30
Welcome at the Princessehof museum with coffee and a snack

10:45
Group 1: Tour Wu Zetian

Group 2: Tour permanent display

11:30
Group 1: Tour permanent display

Group 2: Tour Wu Zetian

12:15
Possibility to visit the museum individually

About the exhibition:
The Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in Leeuwarden invites attendees to visit their new exhibition on Wu Zetian (624-705), the only female emperor in the history of China. Through a collection of Tang Dynasty tri-coloured pottery, gold and silverware, stone carvings, and other exhibits, all loans from Chinese institutions, the exhibition vividly brings the extraordinary story of this unique emperor to life. The exhibition shows a large collection of sancai pottery, most from known and dated Tang-dynasty tombs, which remain as vibrant as they were over thirteen centuries ago.

Practical Information

Date Friday 8 and Saturday 9 November
Location 8 November: Groninger Museum, Groningen
9 November: Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics, Leeuwarden
Spoken language English only
Transport Arrange your own transport to Princessehof, Leeuwarden

Contact Details

Address Groninger Museum:
Museumeiland 1
9711 ME Groningen (NL)

Phone number:
+31(0)50 3666555

E-mail address:
info@groningermuseum.nl

Address Princessehof:
Grote Kerkstraat 9
8911 DZ Leeuwarden

Instagram:
Anders Foundation