한국국제교류재단

The rich history of Belgium's Royal Museum officially dates from 1835, shortly after the country gained its independence, but the heart of the collection came together much earlier, with the most remarkable s dating back to the Royal Arsenal in 1406. This collection especially includes diplomatic gifts presented to the various dukes of Burgundy and the Hapsburgs, as well as royal curiosities and mementoes.

Over the years, the Royal Museum's collection has grown steadily, due in large part of to generous donations of individual works and entire private collections. The collection has also benefited from important archeological finds in excavations in Belgium and abroad.
Today, the Royal Museum is one of eleven national scientific institutions in Belgium and houses one of the world's most important collections, with items reflecting various civilizations from around the world, from prehistoric times to the present. The Museum is organized into four divisions--European Antiquity; European Applied Arts; National Archeology and Non-European Civilizations; and Musical Instruments; the layout consists of 140 exhibition rooms housed in seven buildings.

The Museum's Far Eastern Department consists of three collections, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and many pieces of art date from the very beginning of the Museum's history.

The Museum's Chinese collection represents the country's long history of art and archeology, from Neolithic period pottery and jade pieces, to bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures, to Qing Dynasty period textiles, paintings, and calligraphy. One of the Museum's highlights is the archeological collection of Fernand Buckens, a doctor who worked in China at the beginning of the 20th century and assisted in the discovery of several Han Dynasty period tombs in Henan province. The Museum also houses an important collection of more than 300 Chinese bronze mirrors, most of which are part of the Buckens and Lambert collections. In addition, a Chinese pavilion in Laken, a "chinoiserie" style building dating from the early 20th century, also houses an important collection of Chinese and Japanese ceramics.

The Museum's Japanese collection is currently on display in a number of small exhibitions at the Japanese Tower, also in Laken. The collection is best known for its selection of over 7,000 Japanese prints, many of which are exceptionally unique and of rare quality.

Finally, the Museum's Korean collection, which is the smallest in the department, consists of just 70 items. Fortunately, since none of the Museum's curators are specialists in Korean art, the workshop offered a unique opportunity for these professionals to acquaint themselves more with this area.