South East Asia

The region of South East Asia includes Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philipines. The V&A's South East Asian collection includes gold, silver, bronze, stone, terracotta, ivory and textiles.

Room 47a: South East Asian & Himalayan Art

This room displays a combination of South East Asian and Himalayan art. Some of the finest items in the Himalayan collection include important early Nepalese bronze sculptures, repousse work and embroidery. Art from Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka in gold, silver, bronze, stone, terracotta and ivory represents the rich and complex culture of the South East Asian region in a display spanning the 6th to 19th centuries.

South & South-East Asia collections: staff & areas of expertise

India & South-East Asia: Staff & Areas of Expertise

The Arts of Thailand

The historic origins of the V&A's Thai collection lie in acquisitions made largely during the period from the mid 19th to the late 20th centuries

Gold Choker & Earrings, by Niphon Yodkranpan, 2003

These outstanding examples of modern Thai goldwork were created by two senior master craftsmen and tutors at the Royal College of Goldsmiths in Bangkok. The jewellery is based on a 15th century find that was recovered in 1957 from Wat Rachaburana, a temple within the ruined city of Ayuttaya.

Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Thailand

Buddhism became the state religion during the 13th century and pilgrimage to various sites throughout Thailand continues today

Shipwrecked Ceramics

Asian ceramics have been the subject of international and inter-Asian trade for over 1000 years, the bulk of which were transported by ship

Drawings from the Burmese court at Mandalay

This rare album of 48 paintings shows a range of officials and their wives from the last Burmese court at Mandalay (1853-1885)

Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Cambodia

The city of Angkor was the home of the Khmer kings who ruled an empire that flourished from the 9th-15th century.

Poisoned arrows from Assam and Burma

In the Asian Department's Indian & South East Asian collection, some innocuous looking arrows hold a potentially lethal secret.

Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Laos

Theravada Buddhism first reached Laos during the 7th-8th centuries from the early Thai kingdom of Dvaravati

Buddhism

Buddhism dates back to the 6th century BC and was founded by a prince, Siddhartha Gautama, who was later given the name of Buddha. The V&A holds one of the most important Asian collections in the UK containing Central, South, South East and East Asian Buddhist sculptures and paintings.

V&A International

The V&A is a global organisation, engaging with international contacts though cultural partnerships, trading, touring exhibitions, loans, advice and skills sharing. International work brings benefits to the Museum and its visitors by enriching our knowledge and expertise and opens up the V&A collections to international audiences through online resources, loans and exhibitions, and international partnerships.

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Room 47a: South East Asian & Himalayan Art