How are museum collections made?

Much of Mia’s collection of Asian art—like that of many art museums around the world—comes as generous gifts from knowledgeable collectors. Take, for example, John Scott Bradstreet (1845–1914), who was one of the founders of the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts in 1883. He was the Twin Cities’ most prominent furniture craftsman and interior designer, and he also imported, sold, and collected objects made in Asia. Bradstreet was especially interested in Japanese art and would bring items home from his many trips there.

As European colonialism expanded from the fifteenth century onward, extending political and economic power over the rest of the world, wealthy Europeans and Americans became fascinated with the consumption of what was viewed as “foreign” and “exotic”. Collectors and tastemakers like Bradstreet ended up dictating taste, value, and what was worth collecting at the time. Many objects in Mia’s collection today are very much a reflection of those times.

Likewise, many artworks in Mia’s collection were recognized as objects of the highest aesthetic value in their own cultures and were avidly collected and sold at home. As early as the 1600s, enthusiasts in China sought ancient artworks made of jade or bronze for their own collections. In China and Japan, artists recognized the work of earlier generations of artists, collecting and copying their work. Throughout Asia, the wealthy employed master craftspeople to create objects for personal or public use, setting fashions and tastes in their own times.

In many cases, the objects that American museums acquired were only available for purchase because they were treasured and preserved within their societies of origin. American museums collected Chinese ink paintings, for example, in large part because Chinese and Japanese patrons collected them.