Starting in the 16th century, fascinating sparks of interchange took place between Europe and Asia via the sea routes that connected them together. In June of 2019, the National Palace Museum and Kobe City Museum collaborate to present "The Beauty of Interchange: Selections from Japan's Kobe City Museum" at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum. With Taiwan's position along East Asian sea routes, the exchange and combination of cultural artifacts offer a unique perspective and new vision compared to previous exhibitions on cultural exchange. It is hoped that these marvelous display items can present an even more complete view from the Age of Discovery, representing the meeting and interaction of cultures that took place among various participants in the area of the East Asian seas.
To present this engaging story of the exchange between Europe and Asia, this special exhibition catalogue features fine works from the collection of the Kobe City Museum along with those from the National Palace Museum, Rijksmuseum, Museum Prinseh of Delft, and National Museum of Taiwan History, etc., narrating for audiences the fortuitous encounter and fusion of European and Asian art in the 16th to 19th centuries.